


Lunch Bags and Locations

by enchantedsloth



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Angst and Drama, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Violence, Donna Noble deserves better, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Human Doctor (Doctor Who), I promise it gets better, Multiple Doctors (Doctor Who), No Aliens, No TARDIS, Romance, Sad, Slow Burn, Teacher AU, an eventual happy end, but it's also really sad, high school au except they're all teachers and jenny is a student, kind of, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 17:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22379755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantedsloth/pseuds/enchantedsloth
Summary: Doctor John Smith and his daughter Jenny are both newcomers to Gallifrey Secondary School in London. As the new Geography teacher, Doctor Smith meets many interesting teachers at the school, including the creative writing teacher, Donna Noble. However, after a chance encounter in a grocery store, he begins to pick up on red flags that only make him want to know her more. As friendship blooms into something more, he becomes determined to save her.Rating will increase throughout the story. TW domestic abuse.
Relationships: Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor/River Song, Jenny (Doctor Who: the Doctor's Daughter) & Donna Noble, Martha Jones/Mickey Smith, Tenth Doctor/Donna Noble, The Doctor & Jenny (Doctor Who: The Doctor's Daughter)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 52





	1. In Which the Doctor Wants to Buy a Lunch Bag

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!! I just want to give a huge shoutout to @lady-of-the-spirit on tumblr (and who I think is also on here!!) who posted about not being able to find Jenny+Doctor/Donna family fics and that gave me this idea for an AU! Thank you so much! This will be eventual TenDonna family time, but is going to have some very extremely dark/angsty moments as we break through the story. There's anti-Lance moments if you (for some reason) like him, and also some anti-Rose moments (sorry), though she is going to get a happy ending, so don't worry! The Rose issue is not all that it seems. She just doesn't belong with Ten, that's all imo. But she'll be alright.
> 
> Stick with me, I hope not to disappoint! Let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and we'll just get on into it!
> 
> Also, just a note, but there are multiple Doctor's in this fic. You'll see Eleven straight away, and Thirteen later on. I've named Eleven 'Matt Ragging'. Matt, because his actor, Matt Smith, and Ragging because 'raggedy man'. I couldn't just name them all John Smith, after all! As Thirteen will be introduced down the road, any name suggestions for her would be quite lovely!  
> I'm also not from England, so secondary school and Britain alike are outside of my zones of knowledge, so any advice on how to write those better would be lovely as well!
> 
> TW: graphic domestic violence and abuse as the chapters continue.

Jenny tugged on her ponytail, glancing at herself in the mirror one last time. She groaned at her reflection, modeling herself in the mirror to make sure her uniform was seamless and pristine. Deeming the uniform good to go, she returned to her hair, this time making sure her bangs were perfectly swooped over to the side. She grabbed her makeup bag and applied a bit of blush to her cheeks, just to look a tad rosy. She puckered her lips, finally deciding with certainty that any more makeup would be too showy.

“Jenny! Allons-y! Come on, we’re going to be late!”

“Coming!” Jenny glanced at herself just one last time, smoothing down the blazer of her school uniform for the thousandth time, before grabbing her backpack off of her desk chair and flicking off her bedroom light. She slung her purple backpack over one shoulder, quickly making her way down the stairs.

“Oh, don’t you look lovely.” Her father gave her a brilliant smile as she descended the staircase, one that quickly fell when he noticed the angry look on her face. Not to mention the way she slammed her loafers down onto every step. “Do you have to stomp?”

"I'll stop stomping when you move us back home." She replied, her tone full of cheek.

"Then keep on stomping, honey. This is home now." He moved her bangs to the side, as he always did, and she huffed, jerking away from his hand.

“Get off! I just spent minutes agonizing over my bangs, please don’t ruin them.” Jenny groaned. "We're going to be late, like you said, remember?"

"Right!" He exclaimed, as if he had really forgotten. Jenny rolled her eyes.

The pair exited the house, stopping on the porch for just a moment to lock up their bright blue front door. The September sun was blinding, causing Jenny to blink as her eyes adjusted. She headed down the small path that led through their front garden, pausing to gander at the door as her father locked it.

“We’re going to have to do something about that.” She commented as her father rushed through the garden, towards the gate.

“What? The front door? Don’t like blue all of a sudden? I think it’s lovely.” He asked, sweeping past her as he headed for his car.

“No. I just don’t want any new friends I make to think that we’ve purposely matched not only our car and front door, but also the school uniform, the exact same shade of blue.” She frowned, waiting for her dad to unlock the car. “I mean, imagine how they’d tease me.”

The Doctor laughed, ignoring his daughter as he climbed into the driver’s seat. Jenny simply rolled her eyes, stepping into the car and slamming the passenger door behind her. As soon as he began down the road, the Doctor began to blast 80’s pop music from the radio, singing along obnoxiously to old hits. Jenny watched him, wondering how he could be so chipper despite everything. Leaving her mother in Weymouth without a word, just the thought of it made her angry. 

“Dad, mum deserved to know we were leaving.”

The Doctor stopped, glancing over at Jenny before he turned the radio down.

“Finally, some chatter.” He replied. “Jenny, I know you don’t understand why we had to leave, but things just weren’t working out.”

“But to leave her behind? Without a word? I’m her kid.”

“Yes, and I’m her divorced husband who had to make a decision for his child.” He turned stern, voice hardening. “You’ll be better off here, you’ll see. Even if you don’t understand it now, you will.”

Jenny smashed the button on the radio in frustration, allowing the cheesy pop music to infiltrate the car once again.

* * *

The Doctor walked into his new classroom, taking a look around. He had been going back and forth from home to to the classroom over the past week, bringing knicknacks to decorate. As the new geography teacher, he’d covered the classroom head to toe in colorful maps, globes, and large photographs of vast landscapes. He’d even hung up a planetary system from the ceiling, despite planets not being in the curriculum. ‘ _ If it’s a place that can be visited, it’s geography _ ’, he’d decided, using that resolve as an excuse to purchase the detailed hanging replica. He clapped his hands together, giving a bright smile to the few students who had already arrived to class. The kids jumped at the sound, giving awkward smiles to their newly assigned teacher.

The week prior, he’d attended a back to school faculty meeting, where headmaster Sarah Jane Smith had welcomed him to the school, amongst other things, such as the announcement of school inspections, the updated school year calendar, and a brief passing around of a faculty party committee sign-up sheet. He’d thought that the headmaster was a kind woman on first impression, the wrinkles around her hazel eyes soft with compassion for the new teacher as she pointed him out from the crowd.

_ “We have a new teacher joining us at Gallifrey Secondary School, Doctor John Smith.” Headmaster Sarah Jane Smith smiled in his direction at the back of the room, perched against the windowsill. “Where did you say you were from, Mr. Smith?”  _

_ “Oh, please call me Doctor!” He chuckled. “Also, I’m from Weymouth, closer to the coast.” _

_ “I’m sure coming to the big city is a bit jaunting then, Doctor!” Sarah Jane laughed, clapping her hands together. “Let’s all make sure to welcome him into our faculty family, and assist him whenever he needs it! Welcome to London, Doctor Smith.” _

A few of the teachers stopped him after the meeting, giving him a small tour of the school, but most gazed at him with questioning eyes. He noticed a young blonde teacher in a purple jacket looking right at him as she spoke a mile a minute to a group of other female teachers. ‘ _ What was a dashing man with a doctorate in geography doing at their school?’,  _ he imagined them asking one another. Perhaps there was even chatter about his child, or their bright blue front door. Or, for those with looser lips, perhaps they were discussing the whereabouts of his wife. Had she died? Had she cheated? None of the gossip bothered him, however, as his passion to teach mattered more than the rest.

A commotion outside of the classroom door brought the Doctor out of his thoughts, causing him to turn as a boy and a girl entered the classroom. The girl was loud and rowdy, dragging the meeker boy towards the back of the classroom.

“Kids!” The Doctor called out, putting on a stern face. “This is a classroom, so if you’re going to be loud, do it outside.”

The kids quieted down at once, their faces going slack at the sight of the new teacher, his arms crossed and his face full of authority.

“Sorry, Mister, um…” The girl supplied, rubbing the back of her head.

“Doctor Smith.” The Doctor said. “Now, who are you?”

“Amy Pond.” She announced, glancing over at the boy. “And this is Rory Williams. He doesn’t quite like to speak all that much.”

“Well, Amy and Rory, it’s quite lovely to meet you, but I’d rather you not use this room as a rough house.” The Doctor began, his face hardened. After a beat, he laughed, breaking out into a smile. “I’m just kidding! Well, mostly.”

Amy and Rory glanced at each other, confused.

“Sir, what?” Amy asked, Scottish accent booming.

“Well, yeah, don’t be all rowdy, but please be loud! And passionate!” The Doctor raised his arms to the ceiling, gesturing at the planets above. “Here, we talk about all things geography. Location is important, but so are the stars! I do so love conversation, so long as we always try to reel it back to geography somehow.”

Amy laughed as she watched the Doctor spin around, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the planets, brown trench coat flying behind him. Rory gave a smile, glancing at the man in amazement.

“Now, take your seats. Just a few more minutes, and class will begin.” The Doctor grinned like a Cheshire cat, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it on the back of his desk chair. “And don’t I have a treat for you all!”

Amy and Rory once again made their way to the back of the classroom, but found themselves unable to stop glancing at the unusual teacher. He had sat down and propped his feet up on his desk, arms bend behind his head. He was wearing a striking blue suit with brown pinstripes, and a bright red tie. The most unusual thing, however, was his pair of ratty converse, which almost looked like clown shoes on his over sized feet.

“Wait till our favorite raggedy teacher hears about this man. They’ll be best friends for sure. Either that, or they’ll begin competing to see who’s more crazy.” Amy chuckled. 

“I’m sure this year is going to be something else.” Rory sighed, despite the smile on his face.

Once everyone had arrived, the Doctor stood from his perch on the desk and closed the door with a click. He turned to the class with a large grin, giving everyone a once over, as if trying to remember every face in the room.

“Good morning, students!” He called, smiling at the few students who returned the greeting, albeit less enthusiastically. “I’m Doctor Smith, enthusiast and educator of all things locations, history,” He hit the light switch, causing the room to go dark. “...and beyond.”

Illuminating the planets were a bunch of stars, stuck straight to the ceiling. The students gasped, a wave of chatter igniting the room. Amy laughed, slapping her hand on the desk at the ridiculousness of the entire situation. Yes, she certainly couldn’t wait to tell Professor Matt about this, that was for certain.

* * *

The Doctor hummed to himself as he made his way to the lunch hall alone, sporting his food in a brown paper bag. Usually, he and Jenny made lunch for one another, but her anger at moving across England and being uprooted from her friends caused her to slam her bedroom door in his face when he asked if she was coming down to help with lunch. That, however, did not stop him from making her’s, and writing the usual, overly gooey message on her napkin. His love was unwavering, even in the event of an understandable temper tantrum. Of course, he also loved himself, so he slapped a few kitty cat stickers all over the brown sack for good measure.

The lunch room was loud, kids finally getting a chance to unwind with their friends while eating what, he hoped, was a good lunch. A few familiar students looked his way as he entered the room, and he gave a small wave, heading towards one of the various faculty tables that ran up the right hand wall of the room. There were a few seats open, but the Doctor couldn’t have been bothered by trying to choose, instead sitting at the first one he encountered.

Humming to himself, he laid out his meal: a peanut butter and banana sandwich, a bag of jelly babies, and an extra banana for good measure. He placed his canteen on the table, taking a swig of water before diving into his meal.

“No missus to prepare you a nice lunch, eh?”

The Doctor glanced to his left, encountering the sight of a dashing man with a cleft chin. He had an American accent, the Doctor noted, before taking sight of the lunch tray in front of the man.

“You’re one to talk.” The Doctor retorted, taking a bite of his sandwich. 

“I guess you’re right.” The man laughed, glancing down at the shoddy meal. “They should really up the food game here, huh? Jack Harkness, P.E.”

Jack stuck out his hand, and The Doctor shook it, giving him a smile.

“I’m Matt Ragging, though most people around here just call me the Raggedy Professor as per my surname and, well, appearance.” Another man chimed in, his hand shooting across the table enthusiastically. “A few of my students have professed that we’d make quite good friends, Doctor Smith.”

The Doctor studied the man, taking in his light eyebrows (or lack thereof?) and boyish hairdo. He wore a tweed suit, and a large bow tie that featured small, cartoonish images of planet Earth. The Doctor smiled, clasping their hands together in a goofy handshake.

“If I must guess, you must teach Geology! The study of rocks, namely, the great big one we live on!” The Doctor chuckled. “How fun!”

“Yes, I love rocks, rocks are cool.” Matt nodded, smiling. “Though, Jack here would disagree.”

“What can I say? Rocks, geographical locations, whatever, that’s a bore.” Jack glanced over at the Doctor, giving a sly smile. “Now you, you are a topic I am  _ more _ than interested in.”

“Mr. Harkness!” Matt bristled, and the Doctor imagined his nonexistent eyebrows skyrocketing off of his head. “Now, that’s not polite! You’ve only just met. Stop flirting!”

“Do you even know how flirting works?” Jack asked, giving Matt a strange look. “When you meet someone, you flirt to see if they’re interested. What’s the point in waiting around?”

“Oh, were you flirting?” The Doctor asked, shocked. 

Jack gaped at the men before returning to his food, shaking his head in disbelief. The Doctor laughed, taking another bite of his banana sandwich. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a few ladies sit down at the end of the table, each sporting their own lunch bags. One of the bags stuck out from the rest, as it was a bright purple, and sported a school of orange cartoon fish swimming all around the front. The Doctor couldn’t help but smile, glancing up at the owner of such an imaginative lunch bag, only to find her staring right back at him. He gave an awkward wave before turning away quickly, back to their pair of men.

“Could you not have been more obvious?” Jack laughed, taking a sip of his water. “Should have just told me you’re into the ladies, no worries. I am too. Both men and women are nice on the eyes.”

“ _ Mr. Harkness!!” _ Matt gawked at the P.E. teacher. “Once again, flirting between staff is not -- is not acceptable!”

“Oh, pipe down, rag doll.” Jack rolled his eyes. “With every word that comes out of your mouth, I realize more and more why nothing’s happened between you and Ms. Song.”

“Excuse you!” Matt exclaimed. “I’ll have you know I’m a man of high morals! ...who happens to be bad at talking to women.”

“Exactly.” Jack nodded his head, his point proven.

The Doctor glanced back over at the teacher with the purple lunch bag, noting the way she had been looking at him with inquisitive eyes when she caught him staring. She was a ginger, hair curly and fiery and thick, pulled back by a hairband. She had dangle earrings in a shape he couldn’t recognize from far away, and wore baggy clothes that covered her body completely. Freckles splattered across her face in troves, much like the Doctor’s, and the odd, inward bend in her nose could compete with the sharp, outward bend in his. He smiled to himself, glancing away.

“Who’s the teacher with the fish bag?” He asked, finally working his way down to his banana. “Brilliant taste in style, for sure.”

“Oh, that’s Donna Noble, head of the arts department. Specifically teaches creative writing to the kids.” Matt smiled. “Really, a nice woman, though quite fiery, and not just the hair.”

“She’s got an attitude on her.” Jack said. “If I were you… Ms. Tyler is available and would look good on your arm, just saying.”

“Rose Tyler, choir.” Matt rolled his eyes, blowing some hair out of his face. “Not so hot, if you ask me.”

“Well, no one’s asking.” Jack retorted. 

“I’m not interested in a relationship all that much. Always been me and my daughter, Jenny, just the way I like it.” The Doctor replied, finishing off his banana.

“Oh, Jenny Smith! Of course. I should have realized she was your kid.” Jack exclaimed. “She’s in my class. Honestly, Doctor Smith, if I may say, she should really try out for our track team. She’s very good at running.”

“Gets it from her dad.” The Doctor said, quite pleased. “I ran track at university. We are a family that loves running, for sure.”

A group of girls walked into the lunch hall, and the Doctor noticed Jenny at their heels. She had a girl beside her who seemed to be talking animatedly, though Jenny looked nervous, causing the Doctor to frown.

“Speak of the devil.” He stood from his chair. “I’ll be right back, I’d like to see how her day has been.”

“Uh, Doctor Smith, that’s not --” Matt began, only to be cut off as the Doctor hurried away. “...a good idea.”

The Doctor quickly sidled up to the young girl, giving her a wide smile as he tapped her on the shoulder.

“Jenny!”

Jenny whipped around, the girl she was walking with suddenly gawking at the Doctor.

“Seriously, dad?!” Her face wore that same look of frustration as it had that morning, causing the Doctor to falter.

“Well, you were a tad down this morning, I just wanted to check up on you.”

The larger group of girls that had been walking in front of Jenny turned, suddenly interested in the girl and her father.

“Your dad is Doctor Smith?!” One of them exclaimed, batting her eyes at him. “You didn’t tell us that!”

“My day has been just fine, thank you.” She frowned at him, ushering the group of girls away from.

He stood, awkwardly, letting out a sigh. Defeated, he began to return to the faculty table, only to come face to face with a certain Donna Noble. She had a soft smile on her face, as if trying to say sorry for the slightly embarrassing scene.

“Is that your daughter?” She asked.

“Yes,” The Doctor nodded. “Though, you wouldn’t know it with the way Jenny treats me. When did it become ‘not cool’ to be seen with your dad in the lunch hall?”

“Probably when the girls decided men like you were cute.” Donna supplied. “Though, not sure why. You’re all skinny and scrawny. They’ll come to understand that one day.”

The Doctor was taken aback for a moment by her brazenness, but could hear the underlying joke in her tone, so he simply retorted,

“I’ll have you know, many people find me attractive. Why, Mr. Harkness was just giving me a flirt.”

“Ha!” She laughed. “You’ll come to find that Mr. Harkness flirts with everyone. Don’t take it to heart, he’s just a tad, well, horny.” She leaned in on the last word, keeping her voice down. 

The Doctor snorted, holding his hand out in greeting.

“I’m John Smith, the new geography teacher, but please just call me Doctor.” He smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Doctor. I’m Donna Noble, the creative writing teacher.” She took his hand, shaking it firmly. “Now I see why your daughter treats you the way she does. You must be a bore, teaching geography. That’s not much better than Raggedy Man with his rocks.”

“Oi! Hurtful.” The Doctor laughed, mocking offense. “My Jenny loves the sciences, just as I taught her.”

“Not as much as she loves creative writing.” Donna smiled. The Doctor noticed some sadness there, as if it didn’t really reach her eyes. She was suddenly pulling away, perhaps deciding she had gone too far. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. I’m always getting carried away with my cheek, so I’ve been told. Jenny is a lovely girl with a great propensity for story telling. So far, she’s a treat in the classroom. Quite talkative, too.”

“I appreciate it. And I take no offense, your cheek is not minded at all.” He said, sincerely. 

“I’m glad to hear it, Doctor Smith. Welcome to Gallifrey.” She smiled. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find some napkins. I forgot to pack them in my lunch.”

She stepped past him, towards the lunch line, and he watched her go, realizing the dangles of her earrings were in the shape of stars.

* * *

The school day came and went, and The Doctor suddenly found himself in the car with Jenny, headed back towards their house. As soon as she had come to the car after school, she turned the radio to the pop station, blasting the music as loud as she could, and turned her whole body away from him. Only a minute down the road, despite her angry demeanor, he turned the radio off quickly.

“Come on Jenny, talk to me.” He begged. “Our relationship has never been this strained. I promise, I’m still your friend.”

“Yeah, sure, my friend. You’re my  _ dad _ , and now you’re the talk of every girl in school. They all want to be my friend!”

“Well, that could be worse. At least you have friends now?”

“Who all want to be friends with me because of you! Not because they like me.”

The Doctor was quiet for a moment, thinking.

“If you’d like, I can do some things to alter my appearance, just to scare them away. Gain some weight, grow out my hair, stop wearing deodorant --”

“Ew, dad, stop!” Jenny couldn’t help but laugh, glancing at her dad with a ridiculous expression. “I’d never ask you to change yourself. Just, please, stop talking to me during school. It only brings the wrong attention.”

“You’re right, I shouldn’t have done that.” He admitted. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“For now, I’m not. I’m quite mad we had to leave home, and mum, too.” She said, anger returning. “I’ve decided I’m going to be mad about it for quite a while, if it’s all the same to you.”

The Doctor sighed, turning down the road to their house.

“It’s okay if you’re mad. It’s okay if you take it out on me, if you must.” He paused, parking the car, and glancing over at his daughter. “But, so help me, if you don’t assist me with lunch, neither of us are eating.”

* * *

Jenny began to help in the kitchen again, every night, just like usual. The Doctor knew that this ritual couldn’t continue much longer. She was Year 10, and soon there would be sleepovers, and parties, and lots of scolding that the Doctor knew would be too much on his soft spirited heart. However, for the moment, he reveled in it. They made delicious meals together, at least when Jenny was cooking. He was better at overseeing and cleaning. Leaving him to cook made disastrous results, such as burnt chicken or scalding lasagna or a chopped finger.

By Thursday night, the Doctor was completely exhausted, and left Jenny to do the lunch making in promise that he could clean up the mess. She hadn’t minded, saying something about ‘trying to make sushi’ that sounded both like a delicious idea, and a horrible one that required a lot of cleaning given her lack of experience in sushi rolling. He’d suggested a banana and chocolate sauce roll. She had laughed in response. Such is parenting.

Sitting on the couch, nursing a cup of honey tea, the Doctor stretched out, balancing his laptop on his lap as he placed his feet on the coffee table. After seeing Donna’s fantastic lunch bag, he had decided it was time to upgrade and get one of his own. Scrolling through the internet, he had found a few that looked good, but none that were good enough. 

“You’re trying to find a lunch bag?” Jenny asked, leaning over his shoulder.

He jumped, making a grunting noise as he re-balanced his laptop on his lap.

“Yeah, your creative writing teacher has a stunning lunch bag, and I thought it would be fun to start a little competition, get one better than her’s, you know.”

“Sooo, you’re trying to win the attention of my creative writing teacher?” Jenny asked, knowingly. 

“No! No, that’s not what I’m saying.” He huffed. “You wouldn’t understand, you’re a kid.”

“I know a crush when I see one, dad.” Jenny patted him on the head, stepping back towards the kitchen. “Unfortunately,  _ Mrs. _ Noble is taken.”

The Doctor blinked, still for a moment, before jerking himself up. He sat his laptop on the coffee table and made his way into the kitchen, leaning against the fridge. Jenny glanced over at him, expecting him to say something, but he remained quiet.

“Uh, hello? What?” She asked.

“Donna - er, Mrs. Noble, she’s married?”

“Well, yes. A woman as brilliant as her certainly has a husband.” Jenny laughed. “She has one, yet Ms. Tyler does not, and I think I’m beginning to see why…”

The Doctor ignored the dig at his fellow teacher, bouncing from the fridge to move to the counter beside of Jenny, leaning close to her.

“You are  _ positive _ that she has a husband?” He asked.

“I don’t know? Could be a wife she has, I suppose?” She gaped at him. “Why does it matter? Just find someone else. Ms. Song is quite dashing.”

“Right, right.” The Doctor nodded, backing away from his daughter. “It’s good she’s married! Because I just wanted to be her friend anyways. Makes things less complicated, I don’t want a relationship anyway.”

“Sure, that’s right.” Jenny rolled her eyes.

The Doctor made his way back into the den, hands shoved into his pant pockets, face downtrodden. Silently sitting on the couch, he glanced back towards his laptop, staring at the lunch bag on the screen. It was blue with planets and stars splattered here and there, a few constellations intermingled in between. After a moment, he reached his hand out and shut the laptop with a soft click.

* * *

When Friday arrived, the Doctor was ecstatic. Much like the students, he was quite ready for the weekend. Quickly exiting the classroom, he made his way towards his car, humming to himself with every step he took. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and the Doctor was positively radiating with the need to lounge on the couch and have a cup of tea. He reached for his keys, balancing his work briefcase and canteen in his hand. 

“Doctor Smith!”

The Doctor halted in his tracks, turning and smiling at a blonde teacher that was headed his way. She was young, smiling at him with her tongue pressed against her teeth, batting her eyelids as if trying to entice him. Her attire was more lax than the other teachers, though still up to dress code. He’d seen her in passing, and recognized her as one of the women Donna Noble was sitting with at the end of the lunch table. Now, was she Ms. Tyler, or Ms. Song?

“I’m sorry, have we met?” He asked. 

“Right!” She laughed, sticking out her hand. “I’m Rose Tyler,  _ miss _ Rose Tyler. I’m the choir teacher.”

“Nice to meet you.” He replied, quickly shaking her hand before he lost balance of his personal items.

“I won’t keep you, I was just wondering if you’d like to get drinks this weekend?” She asked. “Well, not just with me of course, though I wouldn’t mind that either. A few of us are meeting up, and I just wanted to invite you along.”

“Oh! An invitation!” His face lit up, canteen slipping from his fingers. “That sounds lovely. I’ll think on it. I really wanted to spend some time with my girl.”

“Yeah, he wants to spend time with me.” Jenny appeared to his right, grabbing the canteen as it began to slip from his hand. She eyed Rose, brows furrowed together. “We’re going hiking. Isn’t that right, dad?”

“Are we?” He asked, dropping his daughter a confusing look. Suddenly, his face lit up. “Oh, I suppose we are, now that you mention it! I’m sorry,  _ Miss _ Tyler. Perhaps another time?”

Rose clicked her tongue, giving Jenny a strange look that didn’t go unnoticed by the Doctor. He patted his daughter on the back, handing her the keys.

“Go ahead and get in, love. I’ll be just a second, I have to throw my things in the back seat.”

“Of course, dad.” 

Jenny gave Rose one more look before opening the passenger door and climbing inside.

“Sorry about that, she’s still a little bitter about moving here is all.”

“Well, she needs to chipper up!” Rose replied, though not sounding enthusiastic herself at all. The Doctor held back a snort, wondering if the woman had ever been rejected before. “Anyways, thanks for taking a moment to talk to me. Maybe another time?”

“Yeah, another time.” He nodded, waving her off. He didn’t wait for her to leave before throwing his briefcase into the back seat, and quickly climbed into his car. Turning on the engine, he gave Jenny a disapproving gaze.

“Now, that’s not a nice way to treat one of your teachers.” He said. “And coming up with that lie? Last time I checked, you’re going to Amy Pond’s this weekend, and I’m lounging around the house until Monday morning. No hiking involved, young lady.”

“Sorry, but Ms. Tyler isn’t worth your time.” Jenny replied, popping a piece of gum into her mouth. It was overbearingly cinnamon, almost causing the Doctor to gag. “I don’t have choir, but today in Mrs. Noble’s class, Ms. Tyler popped in and wouldn’t get your name out of her mouth.”

“Oh? They were chatting about me?” He asked, pulling out of the school yard. 

“No, Ms. Tyler was chatting about you. Mrs. Noble was having none of it. That’s why I like her.” Jenny smiled, blowing a bubble.

“Oi, don’t get that on the seats.” The Doctor frowned, popping the bubble with his finger before pulling onto the street. “Anyways, off of the topic of Ms. Tyler, Mrs. Noble did say some kind things about you on day one, in the cafeteria. Said you’re a brilliant storyteller. When did you ever like writing?”

“I didn’t, not until mum left. Then, I felt inspired.” She said. “That’s what trauma does, right? Inspires your creative side?”

“Stop it, Jenny. That’s not something to laugh about.”

“I’m joking. Either way, Mrs. Noble is definitely a fantastic teacher. Her room is lovely. She’s lovely too.” Jenny glanced around suddenly, as if looking at the names of roads. “Hey, take a left up here, I know a shortcut back to our house.”

“How’d you learn of any shortcuts?” He asked, brow raised, despite taking the left turn. “Last I checked, you’ve just been up in your room, seething in teenage angst.”

“I’ve done some exploring when the angst feels bearable, thank you.” She replied, incredulous. “I go on a jog every morning. It’s fun to explore.”

“Just don’t go too far. I don’t trust this place like I did back at our old home, and neither should you until we get settled, missy.”

“Alright, alright. Anyways, turn right at the next road. There’s a nice bakery down here with some delicious bread.”

“Banana bread?”

“You know it.”

The bakery in question passed by, housed between a Chinese take out restaurant and a small boutique. Suddenly, the street became narrow as they took their next right, a residential street with small, cozy houses. The Doctor slowed, taking in the colors and personality of the cozy homes. Up ahead, just getting out of her bright blue car, the Doctor noticed Donna Noble. 

“Dad, her car’s the same color as ours!” Jenny remarked.

The Doctor, deeming that excuse enough to stop his car and say hello, put his foot on the pedal to slow down. However, upon second glance, he noticed a man looming over the front door. He wore a stern expression, shouting something to Donna that he couldn’t quite hear with the windows rolled down. Donna was rushing to hurry up the front garden, her brazen demeanor turned meek and nimble. The Doctor frowned, allowing his car to roll on by.

“Why didn’t you stop?” Jenny asked, turning in her seat to look at the woman as she grew smaller in the distance. “I wanted to say hello!”

“She seemed busy, love. No reason to bother her.”

As he drove away, he kept glancing in the rear view mirror, a feeling of something weighing heavy on his chest.

* * *

With Jenny gone to Amy Ponds’ house, the Doctor took it upon himself to get some things done around the house. He vacuumed the house, unpacked a few miscellaneous boxes that had remained untouched, and even alphabetized the bookshelf in the den. It was lonely without Jenny around, he thought, but it was good she had found someone to spend her time with.  _ A growing girl deserved some friends, after all! _

He glanced outside the den window, watching as raindrops fell from the sky in troves. The first rain of September looked lovely, coating the leaves of the bushes that lined the front porch. He shrugged a rain jacket over his shoulders and grabbed his car keys, deciding that he was going to get some grocery shopping done on his day off. Jenny couldn’t make them lunch if she had no ingredients, after all.

The drive to the local grocery store had been awful, the traffic atrocious because of the rain. He pulled up his hood, quickly running across the parking lot and into the grocery store before he got too wet. He grabbed a cart and began wheeling himself around the store slowly, glancing everything with curious eyes as he looked around. Usually, Jenny was right by his side, telling him the history of some produce item that he already knew ( _ “Dad, did you know that in the 50’s, we traded out the Gros Michel banana for the Cavendish banana?” “Jenny, I think I was the one who told you that!”). _ Without Jenny around to stop him from buying nothing but junk food, he certainly felt like a kid in a candy shop. Smiling to himself, he grabbed several bunches of bananas, some ripe and others green, and tossed them in the cart. A few people glanced at him, but he couldn’t see them past the stars in his eyes. He was unsupervised in a grocery store!

He managed to be an adult, grabbing certain vegetables and grains. He picked up some cereal that was  _ not _ sweet and sugary for the weekdays, and then another box that  _ was _ sweet and sugary for the weekends. Tea, sugar, milk, he ran his mind down his mental list, tossing things into the card as he went. Finally, he found himself arriving at the candy aisle, which was completely empty. Glancing either way, he spotted no other soul in sight. Smiling mischievously, he took a few steps down the aisle, and with the kick of his leg, he jumped on the back of the cart and began to roll.

It wasn’t as fast as he had imagined it would be, but fast enough. And fun enough as well, he thought, a wide grin plastered to either side of his face. He soared down the aisle, fluffy hair puffing up in the breeze that was once stale grocery store air, the coattails of his rain jacket floating behind him. He glanced at the candy aisle as he passed, trying to make out the sight of his coveted jelly babies. In doing so, he almost missed the sight of a cart beginning to turn down the aisle in front of him. At the last moment, he slammed his foot on the ground, causing the cart to stop with an abrupt squeal.

And there stood Donna Noble, gaping at him as if he were a chicken with its head cut off.

“Doctor Smith?!” She exclaimed. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, Mrs. Noble!” He smiled, stepping down from the cart. “I was simply riding this cart.”

“Down the candy aisle?” 

“Yes, I was riding this cart...down the candy aisle.” He glanced at the shelf, quickly snatching a bag of jelly babies. “Aha! I was looking for these. Who knew they’d be right where I landed?”

“Right where you collided, you mean.” She huffed, glancing around. After a moment of biting her lip in thought, she pulled her cart into the aisle, leaning against it as she gave the Doctor a once over. “...was it fun?”

“What?” He raised a brow.

“Riding down the aisle, I mean. Was it fun?” She asked. “Did you enjoy behaving like a child for a few moments, or shall I not give it a go?”

“Give it a go? Do you mean…?” He bounced on his feet, giving a wide smile. “Oh, yes, please do give it a whirl! I promise it’s worth it, even if you get an odd stare.”

“If you see my husband Lance, please give me a shout. I don’t feel like hearing his lip.” She asked. Once he nodded in agreement, she placed her foot on the back of the cart, giving him one final look before taking off.

The Doctor couldn’t help but let out a whooping laugh, watching the flame headed woman blaze down the candy aisle. It was the best aisle in the story to ride a cart on, he reckoned, quickly pushing his cart down the aisle to catch up with her. She was laughing loudly, which only caused the Doctor to laugh harder. She glanced back at him, her face full of joy. 

Which came to a halt when a man stepped in front of her cart, pulling it to a stop with his hand. It was the man that Doctor had seen in the doorway of Donna’s house, and the man he could only assume was Lance, her husband. And he was enraged.

“Donna! What the hell are you doing?!” He snapped, dropping a large slab of cut meat into the buggy. “I told you to pick up the rest of the items so we could get out of here quicker, not act like a damn child in the middle of the grocery store!”

Donna quickly stepped off of the cart, nodding vigorously.

“You’re right, I’m sorry, Lance.”

“You’d better be!” He thundered. “Now, who is this man?”

“Oh! Hello, I’m John Smith, the new teacher at school.” The Doctor smiled tersely, reaching his hand out. Lance simply looked at it, as if he were disgusted.

“Did I ask you?” He turned back to Donna, face stern. “Now, who is this man, and how do you know him.”

“This is Doctor Smith, the new geography teacher at school.” Donna nodded. Her entire body had tensed up, the Doctor noted with a frown. “I ran into him, turning down the aisle.”

“Yes, I meant no trouble.” The Doctor said. “She is just a coworker, even teaches my daughter.”

“Well, instead of playing around with your little friend, why don’t we get this trip over with? The guys are coming over tonight, and I expect you to cook a meal for them, Donna.” Lance began to laugh. “Otherwise, what good are ya?”

The Doctor stepped forward, hearing enough to know that this wasn’t right, but Donna quickly turned to him, a silent plea written over her features.

“Yes, Doctor Smith, it was nice to see you, but we have to leave.” The Doctor stepped down, breathless at the sight of her panicked expression. “Tell Jenny I said hello, and that I’ll see you both at school on Monday.”

“Right. Of course.” The Doctor nodded, giving her a small smile.

Lance grabbed her arm, jerking her towards him as he pushed the cart out of sight, leaving the Doctor alone on the candy aisle. He glanced down at the jelly babies in his cart, suddenly feeling like he needed something much stronger than a sugar rush.


	2. In which the Doctor drinks too many banana daiquiris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's me again. I really appreciate the reviews and kudos that you all have left so far! It encourages me to keep going. If there's anything you all would like to see in this story, or any kind of scenarios, or character interactions, please just let me know! And if it's within the realm of my ability, I'd love to try to write it in.
> 
> Thank you for reading!! I hope you enjoy chapter two!

After arriving home with his groceries, the Doctor felt much less ecstatic than he had before. The magic of the childish cart ride had long since worn off, and instead grown into something cold. He unpacked his groceries slowly, stocking them in the fridge and the cabinets. The sudden tension in Donna’s body, the panic on her face as she silently begged him not to interfere, it was etched into his mind’s eye. He slammed the bag of jelly babies on the counter, the soft impact not quite as satisfying as he had hoped.

Pulling out his mobile, the Doctor flicked through his contacts, until he arrived on the name of Jack Harkness. Pressing dial, he held the phone against his ear and waited. Jack and Matt had practically forced their numbers onto the Doctor, not that he minded. It was nice to have friends.

“Hello hello?” Came an energetic answer, the P.E. teacher’s voice practically dancing out of the speaker. “And what do I owe for a call from such a handsome man?”

“I’m not interested, Jack.” The Doctor deadpanned, serious. “What do you know about Donna Noble’s husband?”

“Woah! Hold on there, buster.” The Doctor heard Jack moving to a quieter location, suddenly remembering that the teachers had gone out for drinks. “Are you asking me about Donna Noble,  _ again? _ ”

“I just want to know about her, is all.” The Doctor wouldn’t tell him everything. Though only being in the school for a short time, he had come to realize that Jack kept nothing to himself, God love him. “I want to be her friend. We’re kindred spirits, if I may.”

“Calm down, Anne of Green Gables. This isn’t some sort of fairy tale.” Jack snorted. “Why not come to the pub and get to know the rest of us? You know, all of the other teachers in the school who  _ don’t  _ have the last name Noble.”

“‘True friends are always together in spirit?’” The Doctor quoted, chuckling to himself. “Fine, I’ll head to the pub, but only under the promise you will answer any question I have.”

“You got it, Doc!” He heard the bumping chatter return to the background of the phone call as Jack ran back into the pub “The Doctor is  _ IN _ !” 

At that, the Doctor snapped his mobile closed, letting out a tired sigh before shrugging his jacket back over his shoulders. He headed out to the car, driving as if on autopilot all the way to the pub. The rain had let up, leaving the roads with a glossy sheen. Lights from the buildings he passed lit up the street in an array of colors, which he would have deemed pretty, had he not felt so cold. Arriving at the pub, the Doctor parked his car on the adjacent street, taking a deep breath as he turned off the engine. Glancing over at the pub, he could already see his new friends through the window, sitting around a large table at the front of the establishment. He let out a sigh, shoving his keys into his jacket pocket as he dragged himself from the car. Glancing both ways before crossing the street, he jogged over to the pub, pulling the heavy entrance door open.

At the sound of the door opening, the group of moderately tipsy teachers lifted their heads, smiles growing all around the table. The Doctor slipped into the building, greeted by the sound of whooping cheers. He smiled demurely, shrugging his jacket off as he slipped into a booth, suddenly hip to hip with a certain Rose Tyler. He felt her press into him, so he inched away, trying not to catch her gaze. The teachers all said hello, a few he’d never spoken to before. Altogether, there was Jack, Ms. Song, Rose, Matt, and a couple that he had seen around school, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, the school nurse and the second P.E. teacher.

“Doctor Smith, it is so fantastic you’ve joined us here tonight!” Matt was suddenly out of his seat, shoving himself into the crowded booth beside of the Doctor, which caused Rose to pop out of her seat. The Doctor held in a laugh as he saw the hateful gaze that the blond shot in Matt’s direction. Matt, however, seemed completely oblivious. “I have so very much been wanting to spend time with you after school hours. I figured we’d get along well as friends! I’m very interested in hearing what you think about rocks. Well, not just any kind of rock, but the ones in our galaxy. I heard about your little planetary ceiling setup in your classroom. How clever to consider other planets in your geography lessons, I’d never think of it, myself.”

The man, obviously much more intoxicated than the rest of the group, was talking a mile a minute. He had jumped from galaxies to the usefulness of the fez hat to how good his fruity drinks were tasting. He’d even mentioned bananas, which caused the Doctor’s own face to light up with excitement.

“Excuse me,” River Song had appeared behind Matt’s form, crouching down so that her mouth was right behind Matt’s ear. “Sweetie, what are you doing, trying to talk Doctor Smith’s ear off?”

At the sound of her voice, Matt grew silent, a deeper blush overcoming the drunken rosy tone on his cheeks.

“Ms -- Ms. Song!” Matt stood, knocking the table with his long legs.  _ Gangly _ , the Doctor thought.  _ Though, so am I, according to Donna, so not much room to talk. Well, think.  _ The table wobbled before Jack set it straight again, shooting Matt an annoyed look. Rose had replaced Matt’s seat beside of Jack, and the Doctor noticed her wave the barkeep over, ordering another round of beers. “I am  _ not _ trying to talk his ear off!”

“That’s not what it seems to me. Why not come sit with me?” River pouted. “Aren’t we here together?”

“Well, yes. But as you can see,” Matt leaned in, as if trying to whisper something to River, though his voice still projected loud enough for the Doctor to hear him. “I’m trying to become his best mate, so he will tell me where he got that planetary replica from.”

The Doctor couldn’t help but laugh at Matt’s antics, before leaning in himself, whispering a very secretive, “I got it from Amazon, twenty pounds, came in two days.”

Matt gasped, clapping his hands together in excitement.

“Wonderful! Oh, that’s fantastic. I must hurry home to order it --” He turned around as if to exit the pub, but River caught him by the waist, directing him towards her end of the table. She winked at the Doctor, as if she had done him a favor. The Doctor chuckled, turning his attention to Jack.

“So, Mr. Harkness, as per our agreement, you’ll have to tell me what you know about Donna.” The Doctor began, leaning in to keep quiet. “I’d like to know about her husband, really.”

“Just call me Jack. And just like we agreed, I’ll answer you’re question: I don’t know anything about Mr. Noble, nor to I know anything about Donna, other than her temper.” He smirked, taking a sip of his beer.

“Yeah, we’re all quite well acquainted with her temper.” Rose snorted, rolling her eyes. “Whoever married her got the short end of the stick, for sure.”

“You stop that nastiness, she’s brilliant! I’ve yet to see that temper, as all she’s shown me is kindness.” The Doctor argued, brows meeting in anger. “Meanwhile, all you’ve done is try to get in my pants, Ms. Tyler.”

Jack choked on his beer, eyebrows hitting the roof. Rose, however, simply laughed, giving a loose shrug of her shoulders.

“Can’t blame me for seeing what I want and trying to get it.” She said. “But, you’re right. When she’s not being sassy, she is very nice. I can’t argue that.”

“Now, Jack, I came here under the guise that you had some information for me. Could you not have just told me over the phone that you knew absolutely nothing?” The Doctor asked.

“If I’d done that, you wouldn’t be here right now.” The barkeep arrived with another round of beers, and Jack pushed one in the Doctor’s direction. “You need to let loose and relax a little. I can’t answer your questions, but that doesn’t mean that no one else can.”

“Donna is quite sensitive when it comes to talking about herself. She keeps everything hidden.” Rose wrinkled her nose. “Part of the reason I’m not too fond, I think. I vibe better with people who are open.”

“Yeah, so you can gossip about them.” Jack laughed as Rose shot him a look. “Sorry, sorry. I’ll behave. But I have asked you to come to point you in the direction of a gentleman at the bar. Mr. Wilfred Mott.”

The Doctor glanced in the direction of the bar, noticing a man wearing a stark red beanie. He was an older gentleman with gray hair, his entire outfit normal, minus the beanie. In fact, the Doctor would even argue that the beanie looked like an apple, with a little knob on top that resembled a stem. The old man was watching the TV above the bar, sipping on tea.

“Why? Who’s that?” The Doctor asked, sipping at the beer, trying to act as if it didn’t taste horrible. Definitely not his kind of drink, no.

“Wilfred Mott is Donna’s grandfather. He comes to this bar every Saturday night to drink tea and watch TV.” Jack responded. “How do I know this, you ask? Because I, too, come to this bar every Saturday night, but not to watch TV and definitely not to drink tea. I’ve spoken to him once or twice, first to see if he actually understood that this is a bar that served alcohol, but then to just chat and get to know each other. That’s how I found out his relation to Donna, he keeps a photo of her in his wallet.”

The Doctor nodded, smiling appreciatively. 

“Oh, aren’t you just full of surprises, Mr. Harkness?” He said.

“What can I say?” Jack said, lifting his arms with a confident smile. “I just love people. All of ‘em. In many ways.”

“You  _ are _ just horny.” The Doctor wrinkled his nose before heading toward the bar. Jack said something in mock protest as the Doctor walked off, though he paid Jack no mind. Wilfred Mott was sitting at the bar, chatting up some unsuspecting soul to the right of him. The Doctor slid into the seat to the left of Wilfred, and having abandoned his beer at the table, he waved the bartender over to him.

“You don’t happen to serve banana daiquiri, do you?” He asked.

“I can certainly see what I can do. Might have to settle for another fruit if we don’t have bananas.” The bartender shrugged, drying a glass with a rag.

“Anything but pears, please.” He gave a face of disgust, causing the bartender to chuckle as he started making the drink.

“A daiquiri, eh?” Wilfred had overheard him, turning to give the Doctor a tickled smile. “Couldn’t get much sweeter if you tried.”

“I’m not really one for straight alcohol. Too nasty. But, bananas on the other hand…” The Doctor trailed off. “I’d drink anything with bananas in it.”

“Alcohol does taste a lot like medicine. I’ve never been partial to it myself, but beers were nice as a lad, trying to fit in.” Wilf gestured to the tea. “I come here to socialize is all. Get out of the house a tad. Normally just talk folk’s ears off.”

“Well, I happen to be looking for conversation as well, so please, my ear certainly isn’t going anywhere.” The Doctor chuckled. The bartender placed a large glass in front of the Doctor, filled to the brim with an icy off white drink. There was a cherry on top, which the Doctor immediately plopped into his mouth, as if unable to help himself. 

“Name’s Wilfred Mott, glad to finally have someone to chat with.” The older man stuck out his hand, which the Doctor grabbed quickly, shaking it with oomph. “I’ve never seen you around before.”

“Nah, I just moved here from Weymouth. I’m John Smith, but most just call me the Doctor. I’m a professor of geography, just started teaching at Gallifrey Secondary School.” The Doctor took a sip of his drink.  _ Definitely banana. _

“Weymouth? Professor? Makes sense for a professor of geography to have come from somewhere with such amazing landmarks.” Wilf nodded. “My granddaughter works at Gallifrey Secondary, too. Donna Noble?”

“Ah, yes, Mrs. Noble! I do know her. She’s quite a nice lady.” The Doctor nodded. “Makes sense why she’s so kind, must get it from you.”

“Well, when you see her on Monday, would you let her know I’ve said hello?” Wilf asked, his voice small. “I haven’t seen her in a while. I think it’s that blimey Lance.”

“Oh? Her husband? What about him?” The Doctor’s ears perked at the name, but he tried to play it cool. “I’ve been wondering about him, none of us coworkers really know much about their marriage.”

“She married Lance not too long ago, after my Sylvia begged her to. Well, her mother. They’ve never got along properly, Sylvia always wanting Donna to be a bride, always saying Donna would amount to nothing if she was never to become a wife.” Wilf shook his head sadly. “But I never thought Lance was good enough. I didn’t even go to the wedding, I felt so ashamed that she was giving her life away to some rancid man. Said I was sick.”

“Do you regret it?” The Doctor asked.

“No, no. Never. The only reason I’d regret it is because she doesn’t come around anymore. I’m afraid she’s mad at me, but I’m more worried it’s because Lance won’t let her see me.” Wilf sighed, reaching out to hold his teacup, as if for support. “He was never very nice to her. Wouldn’t even hold her hand in public.”

“That’s a shame.” The Doctor frowned. “She’s a lovely woman, anyone would be privileged to hold her hand.”

“Right! And that’s the kind of bloke I wanted for her. Someone who would love her for her, unabashedly and proudly.”

The two continued to sip their drinks in silence, staring at the TV screen without really watching. The Doctor could definitely feel the daiquiri warming his cheeks. After a moment, Wilfred began to chatter on about the stars, and the two fell into a comfortable conversation about the possibility of aliens. It wasn’t too long after discussing UFO sightings around Britain that Wilfred announced his leave, throwing some pounds up onto the bar. He waved at the Doctor as he left, the smile on his wrinkled face not reflecting the sadness in his eyes.

* * *

Monday came much quicker than the Doctor had expected. After seeing Wilf off Saturday night, he had stayed a few hours later with the teachers, getting to know them a little better. He had been wanting to speak with Mr. and Mrs. Jones, but found that they had left while he was talking to Wilf. Nonetheless, getting to know River, Jack, Matt, and even Rose had been quite fun. Though, he wasn’t certain whether it was the conversation or the countless number of banana daiquiri that he drank that made it feel so fun. He made sure to leave a hefty tip for the bartender, both for the drinks and their rowdiness.

Walking into the staff room, the Doctor immediately fixed himself a cup of coffee, the aroma bringing him back to life. Sunday had been spent with an embarrassing hangover, Jenny giving him a lecture on the dangers of ‘not knowing your limit’, which caused him to lecture her in return for knowing about how important drinking limits were at the age of 14. They’d called in pizza for dinner, and watched one of Jenny’s favorite romcoms before calling it a night.

As he poured his coffee, he hummed quietly to himself. He had a stack of student’s homework under one arm, and a pencil sticking out from behind one ear. He poured the coffee a quarter of the way into his thermos, before grabbing the cream and filling the bottle to the top. He added sugar for good measure and stirred, bringing the lid to his mouth and letting out a sigh at the taste of pure sugar.

“Did you even put any coffee in there, or was that nothing but cream?” 

The Doctor jumped, some of the coffee spilling onto his face at the motion. He turned, only to find Donna Noble with a smirk on her face. He smiled, moving out of the way so she could pour herself some coffee.

“Sugar makes the day much brighter than caffeine.” He scrunched his nose, watching as she poured a bit of Splenda into her dark coffee. “You think that’s better than my sugar concoction?”

“Might not be too much healthier, but at least it curbs the calories. Or so says Lance.” She shrugged. “But since you’re so tiny, that sugar might be all that’s holding you together, so I’d keep it up if I were you.”

“I’ll have you know that there’s a lot holding me together! Leftover pizza for breakfast, knowing I’ll have bananas for lunch, and little bitty, teeny tiny atoms, binding me together into what I like to imagine a real life jelly baby would be.” He patted his stomach.

Donna laughed, giving him a tiny shove with her hand. She headed toward one of the staff room tables, gently placing her mug down before pulling out a chair. The Doctor followed her, plopping down into one of the plastic chairs.

“Why’d you laugh? I promise, I’m a walking jelly baby.” 

“Please, you’re too skinny. You could probably squeeze between the staff refrigerator and the counter without any problem, you prawn.” She chuckled. “Before I get carried away, how was your first weekend here in the city? I hope you and Jenny are settling in quite alright.”

“It went as smooth as it could, I suppose. Jenny has already made a friend, and I’ve discovered the wonders of trolley surfing in my free time.” He chuckled. “How was your weekend?”

“Oh, you know,” She began, shifting in her seat. “It was fine. I did this and that. Mostly reading the student’s first writing assignments, cleaning, the usual.”

“You and Lance do anything nice together?” He asked, peering at her over his thermos as he brought it to his face.

“No, nothing like that.” Donna bristled at the mention of her husband, not quite meeting the Doctor’s gaze. “Lance had work.”

The Doctor nodded, trying to catch her gaze, but failing miserably. He gave up, smiling softly. “I hope he didn’t raise too much of a fuss over the trolley situation.”

“Well, we were behaving like children.” Donna rolled her eyes, her sudden rigidness melting away into something more comfortable. “Honestly, what got that idea into your head?”

“Don’t you just ever want to have a bit of fun?” He asked. “Come on, you have to admit it was at least a little thrilling, right? Grocery store wind in your hair, the anticipation of wondering if someone will turn onto the aisle at the last moment and witness the act?”

“You’re making it out to be more scandalous than it really is, when it’s actually just childish.” She sighed, pausing for a moment before a brilliant smile grew across her face. “Oh, but it was fun, wasn’t it?!”

“Right?!” The Doctor laughed, leaning back in his chair. 

“What are you lot laughing about?” River approached their table, hair wild, holding a helmet in her hand. “Whatever it is, I could use a laugh, so fill me in!” 

The choir teacher sat down at the table, squeezing Donna’s shoulder in greeting. Donna smiled in return and filled River in on their grocery store antics. The Doctor nodded along to the story, only speaking to add fantastic details he felt needed to be included. So immersed in the retelling of the story, he almost didn’t notice Matt creeping into the room, wearing a galaxy themed helmet and biker goggles. A sight for sore eyes, the geology teacher looked like he had just had a traumatic experience. The sight took the words right out of The Doctor as he burst into laughter.

“Matt, why do you look like you just rode passenger on a motorcycle?” He chuckled, the commotion causing River and Donna to turn to look at the man in question. 

“Because I did!” Matt said, sliding into a chair beside of River. He made no motion to remove the helmet from his head, nor his goggles, which were secured tightly around his face. “Ms. Song here picked me up this morning as my car went into the shop this weekend.”

“You should have seen him in the sidecar.” River chuckled. “I’ve never seen a man so terrified for his life.”

“I was not!” Matt argued, finally lifting the goggles from his face. “There’s a first time for everything, and I assure you that I reacted the same as anyone in my position would.”

“By screaming from the top of your lungs down the highway?” River asked, raising a brow. “I swear I saw the kids in the van beside of us recording you, Sweetie.”

“Can’t wait to become a viral sensation.” Matt smiled sheepishly. 

“The kids’ll be talking about you by the end of the day, I’m sure.” Donna chuckled. “Not that they don’t already. You’re always doing something out of the ordinary, it’s like you just can’t help yourself.”

“Hey, I’m not that strange.” Matt frowned, unlatching the helmet from his head. “Just a tad peculiar is all, and the students love it.”

“Yeah, you should see him on hat day during spirit week.” Donna rolled her eyes. “You look like one of those cymbal banging monkeys.”

“Fezzes are cool!” Matt argued. “Do cymbal banging monkeys wear fezzes?”

The group let out a sigh, migrating from the table as their morning classes were about to start. They began making their way towards the exit, leaving Matt behind.

“Wait!” He called, chasing after them. “Do they wear fezzes or not?!”

* * *

The Doctor sat at his desk during his free period, a bag of sweets to his right and papers to grade to his left. He popped a few of the sweets into his mouth, savoring the burst of sugar it invoked on his taste buds. Jenny had tried to curb his awful eating habits a few times, but as the parent and general source of income to the house, he easily ignored her suggestions and bought himself candy without guilt. 

A knock on the door startled him, his first reaction to stuff the bag of candy back into his desk. As the classroom door opened, he slammed his desk drawer shut, looking up at his visitor with an innocent smile.

“Sorry to disturb you, Doctor Smith.” The school nurse, Martha Jones, strode into the room, leaving the door partially open behind her. “I just wanted to introduce myself.”

“Oh! Well, welcome!” He stood from his desk, reaching out to shake hands with the woman. “It’s nice to meet you!”

“Likewise.” She shook his hand, motioning for him to sit back down, though the Doctor remained standing. “I’m sorry for leaving before being able to greet you properly at the pub. My husband, Mickey, was feeling sick, so I thought it was best to get him home.”

“No hard feelings, I didn’t make an effort to introduce myself either, so we can share the blame. I hope your husband is doing well?”

“Yeah, he’s fine, thanks.” Martha leaned in, lowering her voice. “To be frank, the reason you didn’t introduce yourself is because you have been too busy poking your nose around in things that don’t concern you.”

“Excuse me?” The Doctor asked.

“Asking about Donna. I heard that’s the only reason you came, going as far as to speaking with her granddad at the bar.” Martha sighed, dropping her gaze from his bewildered face down to the desk. “I understand your concern, truly. I’m just as worried as you. But there are a few of us at the school, we’re working on helping her get out, in secret. She doesn’t know, nor does the majority of the staff.”

The Doctor studied the woman, judging from her demeanor that this was something much more serious than he had initially expected. “What do you mean, get her out?”

“Don’t be dense. You know what I mean.” Martha’s gaze shot back up to the Doctor, challenging him. “You wouldn’t be asking about Lance unless you had the same concerns as the rest of us.”

“So he’s abusing her? That’s it, then? I suspected it, after seeing him with her in the market, but how bad is it, really?” He asked.

“You saw Lance? That’s a laugh. Lance doesn’t often go places with Donna, but he doesn’t let her go out often in general, either. When she’s not here, she’s with him, under lock and key.” Martha replied. “I was just like you once, wanting to save her. But snooping so openly only makes things worse for her at home.”

“But we have to do something,” He said, clenching the edge of his desk in his palms. “We can’t let her exist there a moment longer, not if things are as you say they are. We have to help her!”

“Keep your voice down.” Martha glanced at the door before smoothing down the fabric of her medical jacket. “That’s all I have to say. I’m not here to gossip. Stay out of our way, we are trying to get her out in the safest way possible.”

“Why can’t I help?”

“Because you’re reckless. I don’t know you, but I see the way your eyes light up when you talk about her.” Martha frowned. “She’s no charity case, or special project, or someone you can fix. She’s a strong woman who is wrapped up in a situation that has gone out of control. And Lance isn’t a good man. He’s an untouchable business man, working for some company connected to Cardiff. It’s underground and dangerous. Stay away.”

“Of course she’s no charity case.” He said. “Nor is she someone who needs fixing. She needs  _ help. _ Big bad businessmen don’t scare me.” 

“You have a child, Doctor Smith.” Martha said, pointedly. “Please. You don’t know the things we know about this man. Do your daughter a favor and consider her before you decide to make a brash decision. Your actions ripple consequences, and when they do, it’s not just Donna who might get hurt.”

“Is that a threat?” The Doctor asked, voice darkening. “I don’t take lightly to threats made about my child.”

“No, it’s not a threat, by any means. It’s a warning, Doctor Smith.” She said. “We would never lay a finger on you or your child or Donna or anyone. But he would. I’ve seen it. I don’t want you or your daughter hurt in the process.”

The Doctor narrowed his gaze, choosing to remain silent. Martha gave him a nod before exiting the room, the coattail of her jacket breezing behind her.

* * *

“Dad, could I please go over to Amy’s today?”

After talking with Martha, the day flew by. The last two remaining classes of the day could tell something was off about the Doctor, and even he himself couldn’t shake the dark expression that was glued to his face. The last class left so quickly once they were dismissed that the Doctor hadn’t even had a chance to wish them a good evening. He was loitering around his desk, gathering his things when Jenny had popped into the classroom, Amelia Pond and Rory in tow.

“Don’t you have homework?” He asked, barely looking up from the stack of papers that he was shuffling on his desk. “And you were just over there on Saturday, were you not?”

“So what if I was there Saturday? It’s a different day now. And I’ll be home in time to do my homework, I promise.” Jenny said. “I’m good for it, you know that. I just need you to pick me up.”

Amy and Rory stood by the door, chatting among one another as Jenny rushed towards her father, circling her arms around him as she begged.

“And where might Miss Amy live, Jennifer?” The Doctor asked, giving his daughter a tight squeeze.

“Dad, my name isn’t even Jennifer on my birth certificate.” Jenny deadpanned, giving her father a strange look. “Is everything okay?”

“Sorry, just trying something new.” The Doctor shrugged, throwing the strap of his bag over his shoulder. “Anyways, where does she live? If I’m to pick you up, I need to know.”

“I live right on Temple Lane, Doctor Smith.” Amy supplied. The Doctor glanced her way, noticing his students for the first time. 

“We’re riding the bus, so I won’t have a way back.” Jenny said.

“I’ll be there at 5 to pick you up, not a moment later.” The Doctor said, hesitating before giving her permission.

“Thanks dad!” Jenny gave him a peck on the cheek, running over to meet her friends at the door. “See you then!”

“Yeah, thanks dad!” Amy laughed, pulling Jenny and Rory from the room.

“Not your dad!” The Doctor called, brows furrowing.

Amy poked her head around the corner of the door, stifling a laugh as she said, “Sorry, just trying something new.”

* * *

The Doctor drove down Temple Lane, wracking his brain for the exact address. Had Amy even mentioned what number her house was? The past weekend, Jenny had simply rode her bike to and from Amy’s house, so the Doctor had never seen what the house itself looked like. The neighborhood somehow seemed familiar, as if he had driven down it before. He scoped out the area, hoping to spot his daughter in any window or front garden, but instead found himself spotting a certain Donna Noble, her identical blue car parked along the front of her house. She was bent over a plant in her front garden, the flowers a bright, beautiful blue. He smiled to himself, parking the car along the street before bouncing towards her.

“Mrs. Noble!” He called, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pinstripe suit as he walked towards her. “What a lovely surprise!”

The woman whipped her head around, her body tensing for a second before smiling in his direction. He leaned against her front gate, giving a jaunty wave.

“What are you doing now, stalking me?” She teased. “Didn’t get enough of me at school, did you?”

“It would be my privilege to stalk someone as lovely as you.” He replied, before he realized just how creepy that sounded. Luckily, Donna didn’t take it that way, and instead rolled her eyes with a scoff. “Sorry, no, not stalking. I’m actually looking for the residence of an Amy Pond, if you know which house is her’s? I’m here to pick up Jenny and can’t seem to recall the house number.”

“Amy Pond you say? She lives right next door.” Donna replied. “And no need to apologize. If you were really stalking me, you’d just slide right through the openings in the gate.”

“It’s just a benefit of being a skinny streak of nothing.” He chuckled, before glancing over at the Pond residence. He noted a shadow from behind the front window in the shape of a certain Jenny Smith, high ponytail and all. “What kind of flowers are those, if you don’t mind me asking? They look lovely.”

“They’re Forget-Me-Nots.” Donna replied, quickly picking up her shears as if she had forgotten that she was supposed to be attending to her flowers. “Lance wants them pruned by sundown.”

“Why doesn’t he prune them himself then?” The Doctor asked. The Pond’s front door opened, revealing a giddy Jenny, who quickly ran down the front steps towards her father. At the same time, the Noble’s front door also swung open, Lance looking not even half as giddy as Jenny did.

“Oi, Donna, pipe down all the chatter and get back to those flowers!” He demanded, locking eyes with the Doctor as he yelled. The Doctor frowned at the man, holding his eye contact, challenging him. After a second, Lance disappeared back inside, slamming the front door behind him.

“Yes, Lance!” Donna replied, quickly pruning away at the stalks of green. She glanced up at the Doctor with pleading eyes. “Doctor,” She whispered. “Please leave.”

He held Donna’s gaze, before giving a curt nod. He noticed she seemed to let out a breath, as if she were worried that he was going to step out of line.

“Right then. I’ll see you Monday.”

Jenny gave a small wave in Donna’s direction, before following her dad to the car. They got in, silently, and began driving down the road. Jenny bit her lip, mulling over what she had just seen.

“Dad, is she alright?” Jenny asked. “I certainly wouldn’t want a man to speak to me that way.”

“And if I have anything to say about it, no man will ever treat you that way.” The Doctor said, eyes focused on the road. “I’m not sure whether she’s really okay or not, Jenny. But we are certainly going to find out.”


	3. In which the Doctor is utterly mesmerized.

Jack and Matt were begging the Doctor to throw a housewarming party. Really, it was just an excuse to get drunk, but it was definitely one of the better excuses that the Doctor had ever heard. The three of them sat in the staff room one morning, Jack practically selling away his manhood for a night at the Doctor’s house.

“Doctor, please, I will do anything.” Jack begged. “I just want to have fun with you, at your house, in an innocent group setting.”

“If I invite you to my house, how can I be certain that you aren’t having sex in any of my rooms?” The Doctor asked.

“Ooh, I know! I’ll stick by his side the whole night and make sure he keeps it innocent.” Matt suggested. Jack threw the gangly man a look.

“No thanks, raggedy man. I don’t need you killing my vibe.” Jack raised his eyebrows. “Well, unless you want to join?”

“Ew! No! None of that.”

The Doctor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he contemplated the idea. Inviting his coworkers into his home sounded innocent enough, but throwing alcohol into the mix was a recipe for disaster. Though, Jenny was certain to spend the night with Amy, so at least she wouldn’t be there to become traumatized at the sight of her teachers possibly _busting it back_. There was also the promise of many fruity drinks, including banana daiquiris. Jack claimed River used to be a bartender and knew how to make many drinks, and with Matt going, she would be guaranteed to show up.

The relationship status between the two was strange, the Doctor had to admit. Matt seemed oblivious to River’s many attempts. Well, maybe not oblivious, but the man was certainly too innocent to reciprocate. The idea of sex seemed to repulse him. Had he ever even had his first kiss? The Doctor didn’t dare ask, instead leaning back in his chair, finally coming to his resolve.

“Alright.” He nodded. “I’ll do it. We can have a housewarming party this weekend.”

The men whooped in excitement, but the stares they received from around the room quietened them. 

“On one agreement,” The Doctor announced, face completely serious. “Jack, no sex in any of my bedrooms.”

“What about the bathroom?” Jack asked, just as serious as the Doctor.

“Back garden shed only.” The Doctor nodded.

“Yes!” Jack said. “Thank you, Doctor. You won’t regret this.”

“Yes, you will.” Matt said. “Now, who are you inviting?”

“Well, you two and River. Rose, I suppose. Martha and Mickey. Definitely Donna.” He nodded.

“Oh, good luck with that.” Matt laughed. “Donna doesn’t do social outings.”

“Yeah, the girls have tried many a time to get her to leave her house and join them for a rousing girl’s night out, but she always declines.” Jack agreed. “She blames it on papers. But certainly a creative writing teacher wouldn’t be grading too hard, right?”

“Either way, she won’t come. I can guarantee it.” Matt nodded.

The Doctor made a noise of disapproval. Jack rolled his eyes.

“Look, I don’t know what your obsession is with her, but knock it off. She’s taken.” Jack said.

“I don’t have an obsession. I just want her to be my friend, that's all.” The Doctor sniffed. “Anyways, I’ll ask her. Can’t hurt just to ask, can it?” 

“It can when you’re just going to be rejected.” Matt said. “Why not just do like me and never ask anyone out? Can’t be rejected that way.”

“River literally calls you Sweetie and looks like she wants to jump your bones only about one-hundred percent of the time. You don’t even have to worry about rejection! I’ll never understand what she sees in you.” Jack sighed.

“I don’t understand what I see in him either.” River said, popping up behind Matt, leaning against his chair as she said her good morning’s. “Honestly, Matt, you’re quite dense.”

“I am not!” He grunted, face turning pink as she pressed herself into the back of his head. “Now, please, it’s time for class!” 

The gangly man stood abruptly, practically fleeing from the staff room, leaving his thermos behind. The Doctor glanced at the clock, grabbing his things as he realized that Matt was right.

“I’ll drop that off to him on my way to class. Any chance to see him, I’ll take it.” River winked, grabbing the thermos before chasing Matt out of the staff room.

* * *

The Doctor was reclining on the sofa later that evening when there was a loud knock at his front door. Jenny, who was perched in front of the TV, trying to multitask between watching some campy reality TV show and doing her homework, shot up before the Doctor could even register that someone was at the door. 

“Jenny, stop, what did I tell you about opening the door without checking to see who it is?” The Doctor said, quickly making his way over to the window to peek behind the curtain and out at the front porch. Jenny, ignoring him, quickly opened the front door and let out a shrieking scream at the sight of whoever was standing there. The Doctor quickly ran to her side, thinking that she was frightened, before he took in the sight of his doppleganger. 

“Uncle James!” Jenny exclaimed, jumping on the balls of her feet in excitement. “I had no idea you were coming!”

“Neither did I.” The Doctor said, forcing a smile against his shaken nerves. Perhaps Martha’s words had gotten to him more than he originally thought.

James swept Jenny into his arms, twirling her around in greeting. The Doctor rolled his eyes, walking back to his spot on the couch and dropping against it with a soft plop.

“Oi, John, aren’t you going to say hello?” The Doctor’s twin asked, finally stepping inside as he closed the front door behind himself. “Quite rude, just to sit back down.”

“Oh, sorry, was I supposed to make a spectacle of my brother showing up, unannounced?” The Doctor rolled his eyes. 

“Uh, yeah, you’re supposed to make the biggest spectacle in the universe. It’s not very often I show up at anyone’s door, after all.”

“Don’t mind him, Uncle.” Jenny shot her father a look. “He’s been all pouty for a while now, won’t tell me why.”

“I do not pout!”

“You do so!” Jenny snapped, rolling her eyes in a fashion that almost made her look just like him. “Anyways, you’re more than welcome to stay with us for a while!”

“While I appreciate the offer, I’ve already found a place to stay. A nice, comfy hotel, right in the heart of town. I’ll be here for a while, little lass.” James winked, ruffling Jenny’s hair.

“That’s so exciting!” She exclaimed. “Just sit down, would you like a cup of tea?”

“I’d love one.” James smiled, shooing her off towards the kitchen. He hesitated in the doorway before making his way towards the couch, sitting down beside his brother, immediately getting comfortable. “Now, John, what’s got you so grumpy?”

“I just don’t appreciate unsolicited guests is all.” The Doctor replied, his nose buried in a geography book that he was reading before James’ arrival. 

“Please, it’s never bothered you before. I’ve shown up to your house plenty of times unannounced, and it’s never gotten you this mad!” James’ face softened as he noticed the hard expression on his brother’s face. “I know things were left unsaid between us before you left Weymouth, but I’ve come to apologize.”

“Apologize for what, James?” The Doctor finally sat down his book, giving his attention to his twin. “For taking Missy’s side in all of this?”

“You’re right. I didn’t want you to leave for her sake. I initially took her side. But I just wanted her to be able to see Jenny grow.” James sighed. “After you left, I started to realize how far gone she was. All of those meds, she was never going to give them up.”

“No, she wasn’t. Our relationship ended years ago when she tried introducing me to the pills. But I kept us together for Jenny.” The Doctor rubbed his hand over his face, taking off his glasses and setting them down on top of his book. “And then Missy left. For long periods of time. And when she’d come back, I realized she had brought the pills into the house. So, I left her. I got my divorce and custody of Jenny and left. I had to keep my daughter safe, James.”

“I know. Well, I know that now. That’s not what Missy was telling me. And I’m sorry I ever listened to anything she said.” James placed a hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, squeezing it gently in comfort. “Before I left, things had gotten even worse, to the point that I was able to admit her into a rehabilitation center even though she fought it.”

“How did you get her admitted without her volunteering to go? I tried for years.” The Doctor frowned, staring at James questionably.

“Oh, you know, I used my higher influence to misdirect some eyes. With no one watching, who’s to say she didn’t sign herself up for rehab?” James swallowed, his eyes not meeting the Doctor’s. “It was hard, but I managed it. And now I’m here, trying to make amends. Forgive me, please.”

The Doctor hesitated before nodding, giving James a small smile.

“You’re my brother before anything, James, even when I’m angry with you. I forgive you.” The Doctor pulled his brother in for a hug at the same time Jenny rounded the corner, holding a tray with three mugs of tea.

“Why, thank you, Jenny!” James exclaimed, pulling away from his brother. “I see you kept my mug.”

The Doctor glanced at the mug in question, smiling despite himself. Jenny had made the three of them mugs for Christmas one year during an art class. They were wonky and out of place, but were perfectly capable of holding liquid. She’d made her’s pink with white dots, and wrote her name along the front in her chicken scratch. The Doctor’s was blue with nine dots, for the planets, he had remembered Jenny saying. Finally, James’ mug was a bright orange that faded into red. There were a few blotches of white that Jenny had tried to explain were clouds, but James didn’t need an explanation, saying he loved the mug no matter what. Any time he came over, they’d use their mugs. Even when he wasn’t over, the Doctor always tried to use his, unless he was in a hurry. The Doctor could remember Missy’s reaction when she came home late a few days after the Christmas festivities. She was high, so high, and the Doctor had to wrangle his own blue mug out of Missy’s hand as she threatened to smash it against a wall. She left not long after she arrived, and he found his wallet completely empty the very next morning.

The three of them sat around in the living room together, James telling stories of mishaps in the operation room. The Doctor sat back, listening without really chiming in, wondering to himself why he’d never thought to ask James to use his influence to get Missy admitted to rehab before. James, though he never approved of the title, was a proper doctor. Once upon a time, James was a pediatrician, which was a natural fit for him. He’d titter around the pediatric ward with candy in his pockets and toys in his hands. He always knew just what to do to stop a patient from crying, almost better than their parents. James had always been such a child, though the Doctor knew he himself also had a tendency to act like one, what with his obsession with sweet things and partiality to taking childish risks like riding trolleys in the grocery store. However, their parents, who happened to be upper class well-to-dos, wanted more for both James and the Doctor. So, James studied harder, and eventually became a surgeon. The Doctor, on the other hand, remained unaffected by his parent’s money, and became a professor of geography. Not to mention a father, and a now ex-husband to a flighty woman who had always been more than a bit off. 

It wasn’t too long after their tea had gone cold that Jenny began to nod off, her homework finally finished, placed in a neat pile on the coffee table in front of her. She had grabbed a pillow from the sofa and sat on it as she did her work on the floor, but now, she was nodding off, her head just inches away from hitting the hard surface of the table. 

“Jenny, darling, how about you say goodnight to your uncle. You look like you’re about to bonk your head against the table.” The Doctor chuckled, shaking his daughter gently to wake her up. She whipped her head upwards, blinking rapidly to get sleep out of her eyes.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” She nodded, moving slowly as she gathered her things and stood up from the floor. “Will you be here tomorrow, Uncle?” 

“I’ll be here for quite a while, lassie.” James smiled, giving his niece a hug before she moved onto her father, and finally, up the stairs.

“You’ve exhausted her with your stories, I’m sure.” The Doctor teased, chuckling as he watched his brother roll his eyes. “It is getting late. I ought to get ready for bed as well, unfortunately.”

“Right, and I need to get a light night meal on the way back to the hotel.” James clapped his hands together, no doubt already dreaming of the fast food he was going to pile high in his hotel room while watching trashy reality shows on the telly. That’s who Jenny had picked up the habit from, after all.

“A light meal? I can make you something here, if you’d rather stay here than a hotel.” The Doctor suggested.

“No, but I definitely appreciate the offer. Like I said, I’m going to be around for a while, so cooping up in your guest room isn’t exactly ideal.” James chuckled.

The Doctor shrugged, collecting the tray of dirty mugs so he could take them to the sink.

“Ah, right! Before I go, I forgot to ask. Jenny said you’ve been pouty for a while, so it isn’t all my fault. What’s going on?” James asked as he shrugged on his long coat, loitering near the front door.

“Oh, there’s just a teacher at school that I think might need some help, and I’m trying to decide what my next plans of action should be. It’s really nothing. Also, pouty, again?” The Doctor raised a brow.

“Her words, not mine.” James amended, tugging the front door open. “Well, as long as everything’s okay. If it isn’t, I’m just a call away.”

“Right, and I’ll see you Saturday? I’m having a housewarming party, and it wouldn’t be the same without my little brother there.” 

“Little brother by three minutes, mate. And I’ll be here.”

* * *

The Doctor ventured down the hallways of Gallifrey, noting to himself that not only was Donna’s hallway on the complete other side of the school, but that the hallways leading up to her classroom were absolutely stunning. He stopped, taking in the sight of colorful paper streamers decorating the ceiling, adorned with silver and gold sparkles that shimmered in the light. The walls were covered in paintings that had been made by both the students and some of the teachers alike. Stepping closer to one of the paintings, he found himself admiring the brilliant colors that were splattered across the canvas. It was a painting of a woman, sitting alone in a garden filled with hoards of flowers in every color. The woman was sitting with her back facing the Doctor, painted monotone gray. He couldn’t tell the person’s signature, but made a mental note to tell Ms. Song that she had a very talented student as he began his trek back down the hallway towards Donna’s classroom.

He had been hoping to speak to her in the cafeteria, but when he arrived, Donna and her lunch bag were nowhere to be seen. So, now he was peeking into the classroom door’s window, trying to seek out a familiar ginger. Instead, he found himself staring straight into the most whimsical classroom he had ever seen. He pushed the door open, clutching his brown paper bag to his chest as he gaped at her decorations. His planetary set up was nothing compared to the magic that exuded from her classroom. 

He noted a few generic posters about behavior that were plastered to the walls, but everything else was beyond his imagination. The desks were all separated from each other, some in small groups, others by themselves. Fairy lights hung from the back corner of the room, their glow faded against the white, mesh fabric that draped against them from the ceiling. There was soft ambiance music playing quietly from a small bluetooth speaker on a high shelf below the draperies. The lights were turned off, he realized, noting that other than a small lamp and the fairy lights, the room was completely lit by the natural lighting that filtered in through the windows. More mesh fabric hung over the windows as if they were acting as placebo curtains, though the small holes in some of the fabric cast dotted rays of light further into the room, giving the darkened room a unique look. Even the door, he realized, was plastered over in pages from old journals that he assumed belonged to the students, given the mismatched handwriting on each of the pages.

The Doctor wandered farther in, mesmerized by the classroom in its entirety. He was so mesmerized, in fact, that he didn’t notice the redhead sitting at her desk, watching him with amused eyes.

“Earth to spaceman!”

The Doctor jumped, almost losing his bag lunch in the process.

“Oi, don’t scare me like that!” He breathed, setting the lunch down on a desk before he lost it for good. “Sorry, I must look like I’m gawking.”

“You don’t just look it, sunshine. You are definitely gawking.” Donna laughed. 

“Well, I can’t help it. This room is…” He glanced around one last time, taking it all in. “It’s brilliant. Stunning. Genius. It shows that you really care about what you do. Says a lot about you, Donna.”

“Please, you should see River’s room. She practically forced me into decorating when I arrived here, years back. Really, it’s her you should be complimenting.” Donna ducked her head down, grateful of the lack of lighting to hide the blush on her cheeks. 

“You stop it,” The Doctor glanced over at her, glad to at least be able to make out her vibrant hair in the natural sunlight that filtered onto her desk. “I’m complimenting you, not River. This is a fantastic room.”

Donna waved him off, and the Doctor compartmentalized the conversation for later, realizing it was best not to fight Donna on her inability to take a compliment. After all, he didn’t know her very well, he realized. Hopefully, he’d be able to change that very soon.

“Anyways, what brings you to this side of school?” She asked before forking up some leaves from a salad that he presumed was her lunch. He grabbed one of the desk chairs and pulled it up to the other side of her desk, plopping down into the hard plastic.

“I can’t just come visit my new buddy?” He teased, placing his paper bag on the desk. He began unpack his laughable lunch, using the paper bag as a coaster for his food. 

“You can visit me any time you’d like, but… Doctor, is that your lunch?” She asked, her face scrunching together as if she was staring at a puzzle she couldn’t quite figure out. “Tell me that’s not your lunch.”

“What’s wrong with this?” He asked, picking up a banana in one hand, and a jar of peanut butter in the other. “I’ve got my banana, my peanut butter, and some jelly babies as a small, sweet treat. Can’t beat this meal, I promise.”

“You brought a flippin’ jar of peanut butter to school?!” She said, incredulous. “You must be bonkers. What is it for? Please don’t tell me you’re going to dip the banana in the jar.”

“I’m no heathen, Donna.” He said, mocking offense as he pulled a plastic spoon from the bag. “I’m going to cover the banana in peanut butter using this spoon!”

“You’re a dumbo.” Donna chuckled, rolling her eyes as she returned to her salad. The Doctor peered at its contents, noting to himself that there wasn’t really much to see other than a sea of green. He looked back up at her, the same scrunched up expression she was wearing only moments before plastered to his face. “What, have you never seen a salad? Oh, why am I asking. Of course you haven’t. You think a meal is a banana and a jar of peanut butter. Why would I expect you to know what a proper salad is?”

“Oh, I’ve had a proper salad, Donna, and that isn’t it. That’s all leaves! Where’s the veg? Or the meat?” 

“Getting rid of all that nonsense eliminates calories. That way, I can sneak a few chocolates for dessert, quite like those jelly babies of yours.” She pulled a small bag of chocolate drops out of her lunch bag, offering the Doctor one of the candies. “I’ll trade you a chocolate for a jelly baby.”

“You’re on.” He smiled excitedly. They made the swap, the Doctor dropping a few extra jelly babies into her bag without her noticing. He popped his chocolate into his mouth, unable to help the goofy smile on his face. “I’m throwing a house warming party on Saturday and I would love for you to come.”

Donna seemed to blanch, her body flinching up as if his offer had frightened her. His goofy grin dropped immediately, a look of worry growing on his face instead. She took a small breath, before giving a nervous smile.

“That’s a lovely offer, Doctor, but I’m going to have to decline.” She said, her eyes not meeting his. “I have plans with Lance this weekend.”

“Do you have plans with Lance every weekend?” He asked. “Can’t he just let you have some fun with colleagues for one night?”

“No, no, I have papers as well. There’s simply no way.” 

“Certainly papers can wait.” He said. “Is there another reason that you can’t come?”

This question seemed to get Donna’s attention as she raised her head to look at him. He reached across the desk, placing a hand over her’s. “You can tell me if there’s something going on, Donna.”

“...I’m not sure what you’re implying.” Donna didn’t remove her hand from his, but she sounded agitated, the Doctor thought. “It’s just that Lance doesn’t like me going out, especially not without him accompanying me. As his wife, it’s my duty to listen to him.”

“No, as his wife, it’s your duty to respect him, but to be respected in return, Donna.” The Doctor gave her hand a squeeze. “If you want to come out with us, you should be able to. He’s not your keeper.”

“I am my own woman, thank you very much, Doctor Smith.” She jerked her hand away, briskly throwing a lid back over the tupperware container that housed the bleak salad. The Doctor, realizing he had overstepped boundaries, shoved his jar of peanut butter back into his own sad bag. “Now, my students should be arriving back to class soon, and I’d appreciate if you’d let me have a moment to myself to clean up.”

“Right. Of course.” He nodded, quickly pulling the chair back to its matching desk. He hesitated in the doorway, watching as the redheaded woman cleaned her area. She was shaken up, he thought. Maybe he should have listened to Martha.

He walked out of the classroom without another word, quickly making his way down the colorful hallway, back towards his classroom.

* * *

At the end of the school day a few days later, the Doctor tracked down River as she was headed towards her motorcycle, helmet already tucked under her arm.

“River!” He called, jogging to catch up with her. The woman turned, a coy look on her face as she saw the handsome man running up to her.

“Oh, hello, Doctor Smith.” She smiled. “With you running after me, it’s almost like something straight from a romance. Shall I give up Matt, give it whirl with you instead?”

“You might find that you like being with someone who has eyebrows.” He joked, giving her a smile. “No, I was actually wondering if you’d do me a favor.”

“Don’t worry, Doctor. I’ll be at your party to make sure you get your banana daiquiris.” She snorted, turning her attention back to her bike. 

“How lovely! Thank you, River. I’ll be sure to buy the ingredients, and maybe you can teach me -- wait, no, back to the point.” He frowned, grabbing her arm to stop her from putting on her helmet. “Would you please wait here at the school just for a second while I take Jenny home? I need your help with something.”

“You want me to wait here? What for?” She asked, turning back around as if he had piqued her interest.

“I live just down the road, I’ll be back in less than ten minutes if you just give me a chance to explain when I get back.” He begged. Giving his best puppy dog eyes, he added on a quiet, “Please?”

River hesitated, before rolling her eyes and dropping her helmet back onto the bike with a thud. “Oh, alright then. But if you aren’t back here in ten minutes, I’m going to hop on this bike and be on my way. It would be rude to leave a lady waiting for too long.”

“Of course.” He nodded, already turning to run towards his car. “I can’t thank you enough!”

“Sure can’t.” She muttered, leaning against her motorcycle as she plopped her bag onto the ground beside her.

The Doctor kept true to his promise, speeding down the road and practically pushing Jenny out of the car to make it back in time. He found that he didn’t actually live only ten minutes down the road, but he made it work, pleased to find River right where he left her, standing by the bike. Rolling down the passenger window, he motioned for River to get inside of the car. She sashayed to the window, hand on her hip, giving the Doctor a tickled expression.

“Sweetie, I was joking when I said I’d give up Matt for a go with you. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea with me getting in your car.” She said, “I may come off as flirtatious, but I only have eyes for one man.”

“Oh, it’s just a car ride, River.” The Doctor groaned, leaning over to open the passenger door from the inside. “I’ll tell you the plan once you get in.”

River sighed, grabbing her bag before she quickly slid into the car, shutting the door behind her quickly. “Alright, I’m in. So what are you kidnapping me for?”

“Please, this was consented.” The Doctor started driving away from the school. River glanced back at her motorcycle in the rear view mirror, wondering what she had just gotten herself into. “Anyways, River, we’re going over to Donna’s to get Lance’s permission for her to attend my party.”

“We’re _what?!_ ” The woman demanded, eyes wide as she stared down the Doctor. “Excuse me, but I didn’t sign up for this little operation of yours. Martha informed me that she’d spoken to you —“

“So you’re part of the ‘save Donna Noble by doing nothing’ troupe, are you?” He grumbled, eyes glued to the road. “Whatever passive plan you all have is rubbish. There needs to be action.”

“Yes, action, but not the kind of action that will get the poor woman hurt!” River begged, shaking her head. “You have no idea what kind of man Lance Noble really is.”

“I guess I’m just going to have to find out then, because she is coming to the party, and you’re going to help me. If there are two teachers at his door, he’s more likely to say yes than with just little old me being there, all awkward and male.” 

River huffed, her head falling into her hand as she gazed out the window, taking in the passing sights as the Doctor sped on by. They were quiet for only a few minutes, until the Doctor glanced over at River nervously. “You’ve certainly kept quiet for someone who was determined to change my mind.”

“I’ve resigned myself to fate, Doctor Smith.” River supplied ominously, her gaze out the window unwavering. “And my fate is to accompany you on this suicide mission.”

The Doctor let out a long sigh, before chuckling to himself. They pulled down Temple Lane, parking right behind Donna’s familiar blue car. River glanced over at him, giving him one last look of disbelief before exiting the car. The Doctor was already one step ahead of her, already halfway out the car, head already swimming with all of the many possibilities that could play out. He rounded the car, walking in tandem with River as they pushed open the front gate and began making their way up the front porch.

Unsurprisingly, the Doctor didn’t even have to knock before the door swung open, Donna standing in the doorway, looking utterly shocked.

“Doctor Smith! Ms. Song!” She yelped. “What are you doing here?”

“We’ve come one final time to extend our proverbial olive branch!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“I’m so sorry.” River sighed, shaking her head with remorse.

“And once again, I have to say no to your proverbial olive tree, Doctor.” Donna hissed, gripping the door with white knuckles. “I have plans with Lance, as I said. So please, leave.”

“Oi, Donna, what do we have here?” 

Lance seemed to come out of nowhere, jerking the partly open front door out of Donna’s hand as he flung it open all the way. Donna flinched, her gaze falling to the ground. The Doctor held himself back from reacting, grinding his teeth together to stop himself from speaking out.

“Why, hello, Lance.” River, noticing the Doctor’s anger, immediately spoke up. “Doctor Smith and I are here on the behalf of formally inviting your wife to a housewarming party this weekend.”

“Are you now? Well, look at that, Donna! Some folks want you around. How does that make you feel?” He asked, glancing over at his wife with vitriol.

“It makes me feel good, Lance.” Donna replied, her voice monotone as she continued to stare at the ground.

“Unfortunately for you all, my wife will remain at home this weekend. Her services are needed with her husband.” Lance said.

“Surely you’re man enough to survive without your wife for a night.” The Doctor challenged him, ignoring the small gasp that came from River upon registering what he had said. “Man to man, I mean.”

“Right, right, man to man.” Lance said, narrowing his eyes at the Doctor. “I suppose one night can’t hurt. As a _man,_ I can fend for myself. She’ll just have to make it up in her own time. Say thank you, Donna.”

“Thank you, Lance.” Donna muttered, glancing up at her husband in shock. “I appreciate all that you do for me.”

“Damn right you do.” Lance nodded, giving the Doctor one last challenging glare as he turned to head into the house. “Now, say goodbye to your friends. You don’t have time for idle chit-chat.”

“Of course, you’re right.” Donna nodded, watching as her husband walked off before turning back to the cheesing grin of the Doctor.

“Well, look at that! You can come.” The Doctor said.

“At what cost?” Donna sighed, leaning her weight against the front door. “I guess I’ll see you then.”

“Right.” The Doctor nodded. “We’ll see you then.”

“I’m so sorry, Donna.” River reached out, gently resting her hand on Donna’s arm as if trying to comfort the woman. 

“Don’t sweat it.” The redhead deadpanned, nodding at the two of them before shutting the door in their faces. 

As soon as the door closed, River sped down the front garden, immediately fuming. The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets, following her slowly. As soon as they were in front of the car, she spun around, her face mere inches from his.

“So help me, Doctor, if you cause that poor woman to get hurt from this, I will never forgive you.” She hissed, pointer finger joining him in his personal space. He nodded, stepping back uncomfortably. River had nothing to worry about, he thought. If Donna got hurt because of him, he’d never forgive himself.

But, for now, he had a party to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all!! So, two major character reveals in this chapter: Missy and James! After making both River and Rose teachers at the school, I wasn’t sure who I wanted to make Jenny’s mother. Missy seemed a natural fit to me as someone flighty and willing to perhaps partake in illegal activity, so she instantly became Jenny’s mother! Will she make an appearance in future chapters? We shall see! As for James, that’s metacrisis Doctor at his finest! I couldn’t have the story feel complete without him, and he serves a major role in the story, both pairing wise and plot wise. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please let me know what you think if you have the time!!


	4. In which the Doctor expresses his love for pasta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!! Thank you so much for reading my story and leaving all of your lovely comments!! I appreciate it all, and hope you're enjoying what I've written!

Jenny stood in front of her vanity, glancing at herself in the mirror as her father busied himself around the house, getting it ready for his party. His very first party, in fact, Jenny thought. He’d never had parties back in Weymouth, even birthday parties. Jenny couldn’t remember a single time she’d been allowed to have a friend over. Sure, she’d been allowed to ride her bike around the neighborhood, and go to  _ other _ kid’s parties, but having her own was off limits. She was smart enough to understand that something was happening with her mother that caused birthdays to be off limits, though she’d yet to piece together what it was that made her dad leave her mother behind.

Staring at her reflection, she toyed with a piece of her stark blonde hair, wondering for the thousandth time where she had gotten the color from. Her mother had always muttered that it had been gifted to her from her dad’s side of the family, but Jenny was almost certain that her grandmother’s hair color came from a bottle. At least she could write off her light eyes from her mother, but there were moments that she wondered why she barely resembled her father. The arched bridge of his nose down to his skinny build were unfamiliar to her own. Letting out a sigh, Jenny ran a brush through her hair one last time, and grabbed her overnight bag off of her bed before closing her bedroom door with a soft click.

She hurried down the stairs, stopping on the last step to watch with amusement as her dad multi-tasked between vacuum and feather duster. He greeted her with a hurried smile, which she returned in kind.

“You’re about to head off to Amelia’s?” He asked, almost tripping over the cord of the vacuum. “I should meet her parents soon. It’s quite rude of me that I haven’t. And honestly, not very safe, parent wise.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, dad. Amy’s an orphan.” Jenny supplied, bouncing on her toes as she hesitated at the front door. “She’s always getting shipped off to new places, she says. The woman on Temple Lane is the longest guardian she’s had.”

“No, she’s an orphan? That’s horrible.” The Doctor frowned, flicking off the vacuum so he could hear his daughter properly. “What happened to her parents?”

“Not sure, she doesn’t talk about them. I think they may have died? But that would just be an assumption,which could be misconstrued as making up a story for idle gossip.” Jenny said, her voice dipping low at the end as she imitated something he had once said to her in a moment of scolding.

“Good to know you’re listening to my lectures, though I could do without the cheek.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve never been the best at cleaning. Tell me, how’s it look?”

“Looks good, dad. We’ve only just moved in, what kind of deep dirt could we have accumulated?” She laughed, nodding towards the electric pressure washer that was peeking halfway out of the broom closet. “Put it all away and worry about nibbles, I’d say. We don’t have many of those with the way you shovel them down, and what’s a party without them?”

He slapped his forehead, glancing at her as if she were the most brilliant girl in the world. Jenny rolled her eyes, pulling the front door open.

“Jenny, you're a genius! How could I be so daft and forget about getting  _ nibbles _ ?!” He exclaimed, pulling her in for a hug before she could escape through the front door. “I love you, my brilliant daughter!”

Jenny patted him on the back awkwardly, but smiled nonetheless, before trying to shove him off.

“You can thank me by giving me some spending money?” She said, giving her best pout as she looked up at him. “You’re practically kicking me out for the night anyways. It’d be nice to have something to get some food with, in case we decide to get some takeaway or something.”

“While I don’t appreciate the manipulation of my gratitude, I do agree you need some spending money. After all, what’s the fun in a night out with a friend when you can’t afford to do anything?”

“Thank you so much, dad!” She finally returned his hug, standing on her tiptoes to fling her arms around his neck, and she felt him smile. “Would you maybe, if it’s not too much trouble, give me a little extra? Sometimes, being without parents and all, Amy doesn’t have the money. She’s never asking for money, of course, but it would be nice to maybe make her feel like she’s loved for a moment.”

The Doctor’s face softened and Jenny felt uncomfortable by his gaze, before realizing that it was his way of saying, ‘of course’. She smiled back at him, taking the small wad of money that he passed her way before exiting out the front door.

No, she didn’t look anything like her father, but despite that, Jenny knew that he was the only father she’d ever have, or would ever want, and she was grateful to be his daughter. However, as she jumped onto her bike, she realized that the curiosity would never really go away.

* * *

After going to the store for various types of snacks and drinks (and an inexplicable amount of cheese balls), the Doctor finally felt as if his home was ready to be presented to the public eye. He’d shoved a few of the boxes he hadn’t gotten around to unpacking into the guest bedroom and locked away the valuables that could be broken by any drunken fool (namely, himself, who happened to get both wibbly and wobbly when drunk). Jack and River had come by earlier than expected to make drinks, and had now turned his once spotless kitchen into a pigsty.

“Calm down, Doc. I can see you seething in the corner.” Jack was plopping some jello into little containers, and the Doctor could only assume he would have his very first jello shot later that night. He enjoyed the way it jiggled. “I promise we’ll get the kitchen clean before the party starts.”

“ _ We? _ ” River asked, scoffing. “I don’t remember agreeing to that.”

Jack bumped her with his shoulder, laughing. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

“No, no, I am appreciative of the drinks. I’ll clean around you.” He decided, grabbing a tub of disinfectant wipes. “I’ll wipe, you make drinks.”

They fell into a rhythm, Jack making drinking ‘snacks’, River on the liquid drinks, and the Doctor cleaning wherever the other two weren’t. Before he knew it, an hour had passed, and the first guest was knocking at the door. Quite frantically. The Doctor frowned, dropping his broom against the wall. River shot him a worried look, as if she shared the same fear that it was Donna knocking at his door so frantically, as if something was wrong. He sped into the living room, plopping two bowls of nibbles on the coffee table before swinging his front door wide open.

On the other side stood Matt. He was angry, the Doctor noted. Immediately, Matt’s finger was in the Doctor’s face, waggling back and forth as he stepped into the house. The man’s eyes were narrow and squinted together, and his lips puckered as if he was holding himself back from saying something.

“Well, what is it then?” The Doctor asked as he felt his back hit a wall, Matt still in his personal space, finger still wagging. “You look as if you’re about to explode.”

“How dare you go on a ride with River!” Matt said, exploding just as the Doctor had predicted. “I saw her get in your car! She never gets in my car, always makes me ride in her sidecar. That’s not the point! How did you get the woman I love into the car with you,  _ alone _ no less.” 

“Oh! That. See, Matt, I needed River for a little personal project. It was nothing out of line, I swear it.” The Doctor chuckled. Matt dropped his finger, but kept the same accusing gaze. “Also, the woman you love? Maybe you should tell her that sometime.”

“I don’t know if I believe you, Doctor Smith. Don’t take it personal, but ‘personal project’ sounds completely out of line to me!” Matt stepped back, huffing as he adjusted his bow tie. “Now, when she gets here --”

“She’s in the kitchen.” The Doctor deadpanned, straightening the cleaning apron he forgot he was still donning. “Probably heard every single word of this. Next time, do a sweep of the house before blathering on about the love of your life, if you want to keep it secret.”

“She -- she’s here?!” Matt stammered, his face turning as white as a linen sheet. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“M’ afraid not, Matt.” The Doctor gestured towards the kitchen, where River stood in the open doorway, a soft look on her face. “Looks like you have some explaining to do.”

“Uh --” Matt glanced around, as if looking for an escape route, but the Doctor stepped behind him, closing the front door. “You don’t happen to have a broom closet I can hide in, do you? I’m quite fond of those.”

“Cut it out!” River hissed, grabbing Matt’s ear and dragging him towards the back of the house, near the dining room. The Doctor heard him talking a mile a minute, as if trying to get himself out of the situation. Untying his apron, the Doctor hurried to the kitchen, hanging it up on a peg before heading to the mirror in the hallway. He ran his fingers through his hair, much like his own daughter would, trying to get it to be as pointy as possible. He grinned, leaning in so he could check the mirror for any bits of stray food in his teeth that he may or may not have grabbed from the nibble bowl while cleaning. After another knock on the door, he stood straight and let out a sigh, wondering for the umpteenth time what exactly he had gotten himself into.

* * *

An hour later, the house was booming, packed full of teachers, some he didn’t even recognize. Even headmistress Smith was lounging on his couch, a glass of wine in her hand, talking to another older gentleman about her son, Luke. Martha and Mickey were dancing together in a corner, as if they were the only people in the entire world, and Rose was looking terribly bored, standing with Jack against a wall. The Doctor couldn’t help but roll his eyes at that, wondering if Rose had any friends other than the school’s biggest flirt. River and Matt had ‘made up’, and perhaps had even made out, given the smear of lipstick that Matt had to be convinced to wipe off his face. The lad must have had his first kiss, the Doctor assumed, nursing one of the best banana daiquiri that he had ever tasted. However, something was amiss in the party. They were an hour in, and no Donna.

Sidling up to River (and Matt, who was now attached at her hip), the Doctor gave a worried glance, one that the woman seemed to share.

“Where do you think she is?” He asked, tapping his fingers against his glass in rhythm to the tune from his stereo. Music had been Jack’s idea, so it was also his playlist, and the Doctor was very grateful he had gotten Jenny out of the house for the night. He’d thought the idea of his fellow colleagues  _ busting it back  _ was a joke, but unfortunately, he had seen too many asses in the air for him to handle in one night. Needless to say, Jack was very good at picking music to make people get off their feet.

“I’m not sure, Doctor Smith. I can only hope that she didn’t get in any trouble after our inappropriate visit the other day.” River replied, glancing at him with narrow eyes. Matt glanced between the two of them, confusion on his face.

“Who are you two talking about? Please tell me it isn’t Donna.” He said. After neither replied, he gasped, mouth gaping like a fish. “Doctor Smith! We told you she’s taken! Please respect that.”

“And I told you that I just want to be her  _ friend _ . Her mate. I just want a mate.” The Doctor replied, feeling a tad snippy at the accusation that he wanted to break up her marriage for an inappropriate reason. No, he wanted to break up the marriage so she could be free, not tied down to yet another man, even if it happened to be him.

“Look, let's give it another half hour, and if she isn’t here, I’ll make a few calls, just to make sure she’s okay.” River assured, placing her hand on the Doctor’s arm. “I know this is hard for you, but maybe she just really didn’t want to come. Or, maybe Lance changed his mind.”

“Why would she need permission to come to a party?” Matt asked, raising a brow. “Sounds fishy.”

Both River and the Doctor rolled their eyes, ignoring the man. He was too far out of the loop, and neither felt like bringing him in.

“Oh, sweetie, you really are dense.” River sighed. She nuzzled into his side, which the Doctor took as a sign to drift away from the newly founded couple. He was sure River had been waiting on this to happen forever, and he wasn’t going to spoil it with his presence.

He decided to step out onto his front porch for a breath of fresh air, but was surprised to see James and Donna having a quiet conversation near his front gate. He quickly made his way down to them, an excited smile on his face.

“Donna! You made it!” He said, pulling her in for a hug. She froze against him for a moment, but returned the hug nonetheless. “I’m so glad you came.”

“Well, you didn’t give me much of a choice, coming to my house for a personal invitation. I couldn’t very well not come, now could I, spaceman?” She asked, playful.

“I suppose I was too hard to resist.” The Doctor waggled his brows, almost forgetting that James was watching him. “And hello to you too, brother.”

“Do I not get a hug from you as well?” James asked, pouting. “I was just getting acquainted with this lovely lady. She mistook me for you.”

“It’s hard not to! You’re both bloody identical. It’s bizarre. But, after talking to him, the difference was stifling.” Donna laughed. “Your brother is quite the flirt!”

“Well, how can I help it?” James’ face softened, his eyes twinkling. “How could I not be taken by someone as beautiful as you?”

The Doctor bristled, his whole body stiffening as he realized what was happening. He grabbed Donna’s hand, giving his brother a sharp stare.

“And she’s taken too, James, but not by you. She’s married. So, let’s go inside, shall we?”

Donna, not noticing the steely gaze that the brothers were sharing among one another, simply squeezed the Doctor’s hand with a smile, and let him lead her into his house. As soon as they entered, the room went quiet, minus the music, which was still bumping from the stereo. Donna excused herself to stand with River and Matt as the Doctor realized what the pause was for.

“Did you go outside and duplicate or something?” Rose laughed, her sentiment shared across the room. “God, you two look identical.”

“Well, that’s because we are, Rose.” The Doctor sighed. “This is my twin brother, James. He will be in town for a while, so please treat him well.”

“Absolutely, Doctor. Your wish is my command.” Jack winked in James’ direction. To his surprise, he got a wink in return, and James immediately headed that way, having found ‘his people’. The commotion returned to normal, and people found themselves back to their original chatter.

The Doctor headed towards Donna, realizing that he had found ‘his people’ as well. She smiled sheepishly as he headed towards her, ducking her head in embarrassment. Perhaps his gaze was too love struck. He wasn’t sure, but he was finding himself more and more taken with her, despite knowing that nothing could ever come from it. 

“Well, Doctor! Looks like Donna has made her appearance.” Matt smiled, waggling the skin where his brows would be at the Doctor. 

“Grow some eyebrow hair and try that again, Matt.” The Doctor snipped.

“Hey! I have hair on my eyebrows.” Matt started grappling at the skin, as if trying to find a hair as proof. “They’re just blond.”

“You look fine the way you are, sweetie. Even if it’s without eyebrows.” River cooed, patting his shoulder affectionately.

“On that note, would you take me to the kitchen so I can put up the bottle of wine I brought, Doctor?” Donna asked, rolling her eyes at the very affectionate couple beside her. Reaching for her hand out of an instinct he didn’t know he had, the Doctor led her into the kitchen, taking the bottle of a very sweet looking wine out of her hand.

“How did you know I prefer things that taste sweet?” He asked, glancing at the bottle curiously.

“It’s a Sauternes wine. And given your affinity for jelly babies, it wasn’t hard to assume that you preferred sweet over savory.” Donna leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen, watching as he popped open the pre-chilled bottle. “Also, I may have spoken to River and heard about your strange obsession with banana daiquiris, you monkey.”

“If liking bananas means I’m a monkey, I’ll take it.” He said, doing his best monkey impression as he danced around the island. Donna laughed, swatting him on the shoulder after a particularly loud ‘ooh-ooh-aah-aah’.

“Oh, pipe down!” She said, nodding her head towards the wine. “Let’s get back to serving the good stuff.”

The Doctor grabbed two wine glasses from the kitchen cabinet. They weren’t his best glasses, as he had locked away any of his breakable valuables upstairs. No, these glasses were plastic pieces he had picked up at a one pound store. The upper halves were clear, as if trying to mimic traditional wine glasses, but the stems of the wine glasses were shaped like funny animals: one a flamingo with sunglasses, and the other a penguin with a bow tie. He’d gotten them so he and Jenny could pretend to be rich as they had dinner, though the more Jenny got older, the less appealing it became to her to drink chocolate milk out of a flamingo wine glass. He’d kept them anyhow, hoping that one day she’d want to renew their old fake wine glass tradition.

“Did you know,” The Doctor started, pouring the wine into the first glass. “That Sauternes wine is made with grapes that have undergone a process called ‘noble rot’?”

“No, I wasn’t aware.” Donna replied. “Is that what makes the wine sweeter, the rot?”

“Brilliant, you are.” He cooed, glancing at her for a moment before returning to the task at hand as he began pouring wine into the second glass. “Yes, the rot is a mold that grows on the grape, which makes it all the sweeter when the grapes are turned into wine.”

“What about it?” Donna asked as the Doctor finished pouring the wine.

“I was just wondering why you’ve allowed Lance to become your rot, Donna Noble.” The Doctor asked, popping his tongue as he glanced down at her, eyebrows raised. “He’s not very inclined to make you much sweeter, seeing as you’re sweet enough all on your own.”

“Oi, I didn’t come here tonight to get harassed about my marriage.” Donna snapped, suddenly defensive. “You’re lucky I came at all, showing up at my door as if it were an act of chivalry. I’m not a woman who needs to be saved, thank you very much, sunshine.”

“Right, of course.” The Doctor nodded, realizing he had overstepped his bounds. “You aren’t. You’re a strong woman. I just wanted to let you know that I believe in you, and that I’m here for you. That’s all.”

Donna nodded, glancing back towards the party through the open door frame before looking straight into his eyes.

“I am a strong woman. I’ll have no man treating me otherwise.” She said, “But, I do appreciate your concern. And I appreciate that you believe in me.”

The Doctor glanced down at the counter where he had placed his hand, noticing her slowly, gently, hesitantly placing her hand over his. He looked back down into her eyes, taking in the sincerity in their depths. He’d never noticed the ring of gold around her iris. It was lovely.

“But if you believe in me as you say you do, please believe that I am going to handle this in my own way. One day.” She said, her voice soft and her eyes not leaving his. “I promise. And if you want to be here for me, please, just be my friend. That’s all I ask.”

The Doctor nodded, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips, giving it a soft kiss before dropping it between them. “All I’ve wanted is to be your friend, Mrs. Noble. And friends protect each other. If a friend is what you need, a friend is what you’ll get. Now, penguin or flamingo?”

“Flamingo please, spaceman.”

After clinking their glasses together playfully, they migrated back to the living room, mingling with the other teachers while never leaving each other’s side. Eventually, Martha skittered over, giving the Doctor a side eye as Donna chatted with her. The Doctor smiled back, the feeling of having succeeded in getting Donna to the party overshadowing any feeling of nervousness he had about Martha’s warning. Martha could help Donna however she saw fit, but the Doctor was going to do things his way. If Donna was in any immediate danger, he was going to find out, no matter how much prying it took. 

Only thirty minutes after pouring their drinks, there was a knock at the door, and the Doctor found himself beaming as he pulled the door open. Wilfred Mott, dressed in his best sweater, had arrived at the party. The Doctor had invited him on a whim, remembering his words at the bar. The old man was kind and obviously loved his granddaughter more than the stars, so it was the least that the Doctor could do. Wilf shook the Doctor’s hand, smiling nervously as he stepped into the house. Donna, who was still chatting with Martha, had yet to notice. 

“Aye, Doctor, did you tell her I was comin’?” Wilf asked as he handed his coat to the Doctor to be hung up in the adjacent coat closet. 

“No, I thought it might be better as a surprise.” The Doctor said, guiding Wilf towards the ginger woman.

Wilfred stepped behind Donna, taking a deep breath. He was visibly emotional at the sight of her, eyes twinkling with tears.

“Donna, love?” He said, voice shaking. Donna turned around, eyes widening at the sight of the old man.

“Gramps…?  _ Gramps! _ ” She cried, immediately flinging her arms around him. He hugged her back, burying his face into her shoulder as he let his tears fall. Donna began sniffling, and the Doctor found himself shuttling the three of them back into the kitchen, wondering idly if his guests were at all concerned with his disappearing act.

Away from the party, Donna and Wilf hugged again, wiping away their tears as they smiled at each other. The Doctor hesitated in the doorway, about to exit the room, before Donna urged him over.

“Doctor, where do you think you’re going?” She called, stopping him in his tracks. He looked back at her, eyes wide.

“What, me? I thought I’d give you some privacy.”

“No, no, please stay.” Donna said. “It’s you who made this happen for me. It’s the best thing anyone’s ever done for me. Please stay.”

The Doctor nodded, deciding to linger towards the refrigerator, staying in the room while giving them a bit of space. Regardless of what Donna said, he wanted them to be able to say whatever they needed without any unwelcome ears. Luckily, most of the teachers were already drunk. Before Wilf had arrived, he’d been unable to locate his brother and Jack, and assumed the worst was happening out in the backyard shed. Hopefully Jack didn’t think he was entitled to a proper bed just because he was shagging the Doctor’s brother.

“Gramps, how did you know about the party? Do you two know each other, or has the Doctor genuinely been stalking me?” She asked, giving the Doctor a strange side eye as she contemplated whether or not she was being followed.

“No, nothin’ like that, love. We met at the bar last weekend, he was there with some of his teacher friends.” Wilf assured, taking her hands in his. “Donna, why don’t you ever go out to the bar with them?”

Donna visibly stiffened, pursing her lips together as she thought of a way around his question.

“Oh, you know, grading and all of that.” She dismissed, trying to change the subject. “Enough about me. How are you? How’s mum? God, it’s been ages since I’ve seen you both.”

“All because of that Lance, I’m sure.” Wilf frowned. “We’ve barely even begun talking about you, Donna. I need to know if you’re okay. Why haven’t you been around?”

She let out a sigh, and the Doctor stopped himself from interjecting. He hated to see the woman hurting, but knew that it wasn’t his place to save her from this conversation. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away, off into the distance, trying to think of anything else he could get his mind on. For example, the color of the kitchen cabinets, which were desperate for a painting, he thought. Perhaps he’d ask Jenny for her opinion. He really should get around to painting that front door a different color too, for her sake.

“It’s hard to come around when you’re so hard on Lance.” Donna admitted, her eyes not meeting her granddad’s. “Lance doesn’t like feeling as if he’s being secretly hated whenever he’s around you.”

“Secretly? Have I not made it known out loud? I’ll have to try harder then.” Wilf asked. The Doctor stifled a laugh. At least the sass ran in the family. 

“See? How can he come around when you treat him like that?” She asked.

“Tell him to treat you better and then I may give him another chance.” Wilf argued. “Donna, I’ve seen how he speaks to you. How he refuses to hold your hand in public. How he laughs at you and makes fun of you in front of everyone. You can’t ask me to stop being critical of a man who doesn’t deserve you, who doesn’t even treat you like a person.”

“Hand holding is for kids, gramps. Our marriage is more than that.” Donna sighed, leaning against the counter. “You don’t see how he treats me when no one else is around.”

“How about that one time then, hm?” 

Donna froze, causing the Doctor to frown. He’d never seen her react so adversely. Sure, she’d stiffened, changed subjects, and gotten defensive before, but now, her face seemed to be turning a shade of white. She pulled away from him, gripping the counter as if to keep her balance.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said, her eyes cast towards the kitchen tile.

“Donna, please. I saw it. I saw him hit you as you were leaving the last time you visited home. In the car. I saw it.” Wilfred begged, “He hit you and I spoke up and then I never saw you again. You stopped coming around. Does he do that all the time? Are you okay? One word, just one, and I’ll get you away from that man. One word is all it takes.”

“I — I can’t have this conversation right now. I can’t do this.” 

Donna bolted from the room. Wilfred tried to follow, but instead froze, arm outstretched as if he wanted to reach out and pull her back. The Doctor inched towards the man, unable to believe what he had just heard. Though he had suspected it, he had wished madly that it hadn’t been true.

“Doctor, I appreciate you for this opportunity, but maybe this was a mistake.” Wilfred sighed, dropping his arm to his side. “She’s my girl, for sure, always will be. But he’s changed her. The Donna I knew would hit him back, right upside the old noggin.”

“If she’s being abused, which I’m inclined to believe she is, then all we can really do is wait until she wants out.” The Doctor said, placing his hand gently onto Wilf’s shoulder. “Anyone can fall into an abusive relationship. Even those of us who are feisty and hardheaded. Even those of us like Donna.”

“What if by the time she wants out, it’s too late?” Wilf asked, glancing up at the Doctor with desperation. “What if he goes too far? What if I lose my girl?”

“Wilfred, I promise you, whatever I can do to get her out, I will. I will extend this olive branch again and again. I’ll never give up.” He squeezed the old man’s shoulder before pulling away, shoving his hand back into his pocket. “No one deserves to be treated like that. Not a single soul.”

“You’re a good man, Doctor Smith.” Wilfred chuckled sadly, nodding towards the door. “I’m going to go, if that’s alright. I only really came to ask her how she was. When you see Donna again, if she hasn’t left the party herself, please let her know I love her, and that our home is always open to her if she needs it.”

“Are you sure, Wilf? It’s late. You’re free to stay in my guest room if you’re tired.”

“No worries, I can make it home. Chiswick is only a hop and a skip away. I need some space, if that’s quite alright.”

“Absolutely. Thank you for coming. I hope to see you again, under better circumstances.” The Doctor said, giving Wilfred a sad smile.

“And I hope you’ll visit sometime. With or without Donna. It gets lonely in that house sometimes, without her there.” Wilfred nodded, giving the Doctor one final wave as he stepped out of the kitchen.

The Doctor fell back against a kitchen counter, biting idly on his lower lip. When he heard the front door close against the beat of Jack’s music, he quickly scoured the bottom floor for a certain redhead. There were a few teachers in the dining room, including Matt and River, who were making out in a corner, causing the Doctor to groan in disgust. The broom closet was empty, the downstairs bathroom was occupied by some teacher he wasn’t familiar with, but as he peered outside, he saw Donna sitting on his back porch, wiping tears from her face. She was without a jacket, so as he stepped outside, he wrapped his own around her shoulders. She jumped at the contact, but accepted the warm gift, pulling it tighter around her frame. The Doctor sat beside of her on the porch step, their knees knocking together for a moment until he scooted farther away.

“Did he leave?” Donna asked, her voice small in the dark. 

“He did. Told me to tell you that he loves you, and that his door is always open to you.” The Doctor said, staring up at the stars in the sky. They looked brilliant. The moon, a round, bright light, shone down on them, illuminating her features in the dark. He tried not to glance at the shed.

“I was a monster tonight.” She chuckled angrily, wiping tears away from her eyes. “Shouldn’t have been so mean to him.”

“Maybe not.” The Doctor agreed, glancing over at her. “But I know he forgives you. That type of love is unconditional, isn’t it?”

“Lord knows it shouldn’t be, what with all I’ve said to him. He’s the sweetest man, and yet…” Donna trailed off. “And yet, every day, I choose Lance over him.”

“You shouldn’t have to choose anyone over your own family. No one should force you to make a choice.”

“I’m not even sure I was given a choice.” Donna said. “Sure, I make the choice to remain as Lance’s wife, despite it all, but Lance can be very demanding with what I do. And that includes my family, and when I get to see them.”

“Was Wilf right in what he saw? Did Lance hit you?” The Doctor asked, trying to remain careful. Donna’s expression shifted in the darkness, though he was unable to read it.

“Not quite. He wasn’t wrong, but he wasn’t right, either. Lance has never laid a hand on me. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t gotten close.”

“Then why stay?” The Doctor asked.

“Why leave, either?” Donna smirked, finally glancing over at him, sadness on her face. “I’m nearing my 40’s, and I finally found a man to give me the title of wife. It’s all my mum has ever wanted. If I leave, I’m everything she says I am. I’m no good, worthless. If I leave, I have nothing. I am nothing.”

“Oh, Donna Noble, how could you ever be nothing?” The Doctor asked, taken aback by her honesty. “When I look at you, all I see is a brilliant woman who just needs a chance to shine. And you don’t need a man for that. You just need to believe in yourself. When I see you without him, you are just so radiant. He dims your glow.”

“I’m not sure how you see that in such an old cow.” She said, glancing away from him. He wanted to throttle her mother for condemning her own daughter to a lifetime of self loathing. “Trust me, there’s nothing here that’s special. I’m lucky I even managed to become a teacher. Almost screwed that up too, would have just kept on being a temp.”

“You are no such thing. An old cow Donna, really? You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Honestly. And the best part is that your beauty not only lies on the outside, but also radiates from your inside. You are a fantastic person.” The Doctor admitted, frustrated by her self deprecation. “I may come off as pushy at times, but I just want you to be happy. And the woman I see standing beside Lance is anything but happy.”

Donna remained quiet, but the Doctor could see her nodding her head along to his words. Somewhere, deep inside of her, was someone who agreed that Lance was no good. Whether that woman would ever make an appearance, the Doctor was uncertain. He reached into the dark and grabbed her hand, weaving his fingers through her’s.

“Listen, I know that it can be hard, but please know that any time you need me, I am here. To listen, to help, to vent to. I’m your friend, and nothing you could say to me could ever turn me away.”

She was silent for a moment, but let out a snort before saying, “So, I could even tell you that you’re so skinny that this jacket wouldn’t even fit a rat?”

The Doctor rolled his eyes, but found himself smiling. “Yes, Donna, you could even tell me I’m a skinny streak of nothing, and I’d still be here any time you need me.”

“Well, good, because really, you need to eat something other than bananas and jelly babies. Have you ever even had a proper meal, or is your existence made up of nibbles and chocolate milk? I swear, you’re like a child.”

“Oi, I take pride in my childlike spirit.” He said, mock offended. “And I have been known to eat spaghetti here and there, but that’s mostly because I like noodles.”

They chatted amicably for a few minutes, going back and forth teasingly, before the shed door shot open with a pop. Donna jumped, but the Doctor rolled his eyes, watching as two shadows stumbled their way across the back garden, towards them.

“Ahoy, Doctor!” Jack called, his clothes askew on his frame. At least James had managed to button his shirt up correctly. “And lovely Donna. How are we doing this fine evening?”

“Yes, Donna, how is my brother treating you? God knows he can be broody and seething.” James chuckled, staring pointedly at their joined hands. His stare only caused the Doctor to hold Donna’s hand tighter. “Though tonight he seems quite the opposite, apparently.”

“Doctor Smith was just telling me about his love for all things pasta, before you lot popped out of the shed looking like a mess. Come on, Jack, surely your experience in quickies has taught you how to throw on clothes without looking as if you’ve had to fend off a wild animal?”

“Ah, but see, Donna, if I put my clothes back on correctly, then I can’t make a scene when I re-enter the party.” Jack winked. “I want everyone to know that James got a piece of this.”

“Enough, enough.” The Doctor groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as if not being able to see the mess in front of him could make it disappear. “Adults or not, that’s still my brother, and I don’t want to hear another word about what went on in that shed.”

“Jack and I could always act out the noises, since you’re against words —“

“ _ James! _ ” The Doctor snipped, trying to shush him up. “James please, I don’t want to hear about anything that went on, not noises, not words, and please, don’t act it out either!”

They laughed at his reaction and the two men squeezed through them as they climbed up the porch to go into the house. He and Donna sat outside on the steps for a while longer, hands clasped together, watching the stars twinkle above. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the next chapter could go one of two ways, depending on whether or not I remain a straight chicken. I really would like this story to go a bit darker. I've always sort of held my fanfics back from more serious topics because I don't want to scare anyone off. In the next chapter, I'd really like to focus on Donna and her day to day life with Lance. However, it would be a tad graphic and dark, so I just want to hear any thoughts you all had on it. I could tone it down, or scrap the idea altogether, but honestly, I would love to really take the rating up a notch and get a little more mature with my themes. Would that be alright? Please let me know what you think!


	5. In which Donna values her pepper spray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! So, I want to apologize for the long break I took from this fic (and all of my fics in general). The entire world is suffering from the crisis that is COVID-19, myself included. I have been displaced from my dorm and university (which served as my place of refuge from a not so lovely home situation for most of the year). I've now found a place to get settled and now I'm able to pick my fics back up!
> 
> So, I wrote this part back at the very end of February/very beginning of March. It's not a long chapter in the slightest, so I apologize, but I wanted to give you guys something since I haven't updated in quite a while! 
> 
> This chapter is in Donna's point of view. I'd like to put a little trigger warning here for some instances of domestic violence. I haven't made it too graphic, but I'm going to summarize the chapter at the notes at the end of the story for anyone who gets triggered by this kind of material!
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience, and more importantly, thank you for all of your lovely feedback and comments! I appreciate it immensely <3

Donna realized a little too late that she was, in fact, out later than Lance had allowed. Not only was she past curfew, but she was also much tipsier than she had wanted to end up by the end of the night. At least she wasn’t  _ plastered,  _ she thought, quickly hustling her way back to her house. It was only a few blocks away, and despite her begging him not to come, the Doctor was trailing by her side, his refusal to let her walk alone both charming and annoying at the same time. After all, she was Donna Noble! She was fire and anger and always kept pepper spray in her handbag. If anyone were equipped to handle a night-time mugging, she figured she had to be just as prepared as anyone else.

Then again, she couldn’t even handle her own husband. It had even taken her weeks to convince him that she needed pepper spray, as he thought, in his own words, “he barely wanted her, so why would anyone else?” His words had burned her ears as she listened. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t said those things before, but it never made it easier. However, once the Doctor had started coming around, he threw a container of pepper spray at her one day, barely missing her head.

“Knowing you, you’ll probably spray it at yourself the first time you try.” He’d snarled, staring her down from the doorway. “Natural selection at its finest.”

She thanked him, like he had conditioned her to do, and stared down at the pepper spray in her hands. She remembered, in that moment, thinking that he was probably right. 

The Doctor’s arm brushed against her own, and she flinched away, the contact bringing her back to the present. Glancing up at the man to her left, she was surprised to find that he was staring at her with the same look that he had from the party: a lovesick puppy dog. It both amused her and made her feel utterly uncomfortable. It wasn’t as if the Doctor was an unattractive man; a bit too skinny for her liking, and maybe jabbed on about things she had no interest in a little too often, but he was kind, and there was a warmth that his eyes held every time he looked at her. It made her feel safe. 

As they walked down the street, her house only another block away, she felt his hand brush against hers. However, they were no longer at his house, safe among familiar peers, so she pulled away quickly. Whatever this new game of theirs was, it couldn’t happen around Lance. She tried to stare straight ahead, focusing on the sidewalk, but couldn’t ignore the feeling of the Doctor’s eyes boring straight into the side of her face.

“Oi, if you could knock off all that gazing, that’d be nice.” She snapped, looking at him with narrowed eyes. “Not sure what you’re trying to find, looking at me so hard.”

“Oh, sorry, Donna.” He quickly turned away, cheeks red. Whether he was blushing, or had just gained a natural redness due to all of the banana daiquiris that he had inhaled, she wasn’t sure. She rolled her eyes.

“No, Spaceman, it’s alright.” She sighed, carefully sneaking her pinky finger around his. “I've had a great night, really.”

“I’m glad.” He said, voice thick with warmth. “You deserve it. More than anyone I know.”

“Now, alright, quit all of that.” She forced a smile back, trying to swallow it down. “That’s just your drunk speaking.”

“No it is not!” He pouted, sounding like a child. “I’m telling you the truth! You’re brilliant, and I wanted you there more than anyone. Well, you and River, so I could have some of those drinks. They were delicious, weren’t they? I bet she chose the most ripest bananas she could find. Good woman, that River. Not my type though. I have my eye on —“

“Enough of all that banana chatter!” Donna interrupted, not wanting to hear the end of that sentence. “We’re coming close to my house, and I seem to be less intoxicated than you, by the sound of you. Should I call someone to get you? I’m sure James would make the hike down here and back.”

“Pfft,” The Doctor frowned, stumbling before straightening himself. “James is probably faaaar across town with good old Jack, breaking in the bed in his new hotel room. He was known as more than just a pediatrician in Weymouth, I’ll have you know!”

Donna couldn’t help but laugh, the Doctor’s drunken words finally getting the better of her. He smiled down at her laughter, swinging their connected hands between them. After all, she too was a tad tipsy, though the closer she got to her house, the more sober she became. 

“Sunshine, you’re a fun drunk. I’m sure the party isn’t the same without you.” Donna smiled, glancing up at him.

“Ah yes, you mean the party that is now going on unsupervised in my home?”

“They’re all adults. You say unsupervised like they’re children.”

“Well, it’s my home, and I’ve left them there. What if they break the flamingo and penguin glasses?” He pouted, giving her those puppy dog eyes.

“I’m sure you’ll find more, what with those being plastic party favors and all.” She chuckled, dropping her pinky from his as her house came into view.

“Right.” The Doctor nodded, a strange, sad silence overcoming him as his mouth fell into a straight line. Donna would have been worried if they were anywhere else, but as she glanced at her watch, she pulled her pinky from his, straightening her posture.

“Anyways, I guess this is your stop?” He asked, coming to a halt as they approached her front gate. 

“Yeah.” She nodded, staring idly at the white brick that made up her modern home. “Listen, I’m sorry if anything I said upset you. Your entire attitude shifted back there.”

“Nah, no worries. It’s just the alcohol.” He shrugged, making a face.

“Right, just the alcohol.” She nodded, hesitating before opening her front gate. “I’ll see you Monday, Doctor Smith. Thank you again for the fun night.”

“Absolutely.” He nodded. His entire facial expression read somber, but really, those warm eyes of his seemed to be screaming that he was sorry. She had a feeling she knew what he was sorry for, but she had no time to linger. If she waited any later to walk into her house, it would be her that ended up sorry.

* * *

Donna stepped into the house quietly, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. They always kept a lamp on, the one that was perched on a small table beside the front door. It made it easier for Donna to see in the darkness as she dropped her phone and keys into the designated trinket plate right beside the lamp. Lance always had her keep her phone there whenever she was home, as he said that too much social media and gossiping with the girls was bad for her. She’d left her car at the Doctor’s, as no one at the party was quite sober enough to drive it for her. 

She slipped off her shoes, placing them neatly in a cubby space close to the door. Lance liked to keep things tidy and neat, and he’d always appreciated the more modern, sparse look to a house. They barely had any furniture, besides the essentials, such as a couch and a dining room table. Donna secretly hated the more minimalistic look. To her, it felt cold. Creeping up the staircase, she could smell the faint burning of a cigar, and wondered to herself if Lance was still awake. She lingered outside their bedroom doorway, clutching her purse against her side. She’d forgotten to drop it off at the front door, as its designated home was a small peg above the trinket dish. Taking a ragged breath, she stepped inside of the room.

Their room was the only room in the house that had a TV, as Lance preferred to sleep with noise. Their bed was large and plush, sheets plain, pillow cases just as boring. Attached to the room was a bathroom, which was the only room in the house with a splash of color: a soft purple towel that she called her own. Usually, the bedroom was off limits to her in the day. Lance liked to take frequent naps, and whenever he wasn’t napping, he was perched in front of the TV, watching football and eating whatever meal he had demanded from her that day. Her safe haven was generally the sitting room. While mostly bare, there were a few bookshelves and a couch, where she did her grading and writing. However, as she stepped into the room, she was met with the bemused look of Lance as he lay on the bed, wide awake. He snubbed his cigar out on the bedside table, the cigar burning into the oak wood.

“Well, well, well, look who finally decided to come home.” He started, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m sorry, Lance.” She started, trying not to stare him in the face. “I got a little more intoxicated than I’d hoped, and I walked back instead of driving —“

“I give you a car, and you aren’t inclined to use it?” Lance asked. “What a shame. Might have to take it away.”

Donna, a little too tipsy, a little too brazen, felt the beginnings of anger swell in her chest. Usually, she just found herself spacing out, as if she were floating above herself while taking whatever abuse he threw her was. The warm feeling of anger was new and unusual. She tried to hold it back, tried to get rid of it. More importantly, she tried not to let it show on her face, instead remaining stoic, her head directed at the wooden floor.

“You’re right, of course. I’m sorry.” She said. A small voice at the back of her head reminded her that the blue car was her’s — it was a gift from her mother, and she’d finally managed paying it all off just a year ago.

“Of course I’m right. I’m always right.” Lance laughed, unfolding his arms as if he were considering moving from the bed. “However, tonight, I think I was wrong.”

Donna couldn’t help but look up as she heard his bare feet hit the floor. He was coming towards her slowly, a funny look on his face. Accidentally catching his gaze, she immediately dropped her head, looking down at his feet.

“You’re never wrong, Lance.” She said. “Even tonight. You’re never wrong.”

He stepped up to her, hand reaching out to caress her cheek. She felt herself stop breathing at the touch. Lance never touched her, not gently, not carefully. Unless he was digging his fingers into her arm to guide her away from something he didn’t want her doing, or jerked her by the wrist to get her to obey, touching wasn’t something he believed in when it came to her.

“No, Donna, tonight I was wrong.” He said, gently. She felt his gaze boring into her face, but unlike the Doctor’s, Lance’s gaze lacked any sort of warmth. She refused to look up at him, despite how close he had gotten. She stared at his Adam’s apple, bobbing and weaving. “Donna, look at me.”

Donna hesitated, but slowly looked up, trying to avoid his eyes by looking anywhere else on his face. The curve of his nose, the glare of the TV bouncing off his forehead, the dip of his chin. 

“Donna, do you know why I was wrong tonight?” He asked, voice soft.

She gulped, nodding softly.

“Because I came in late.” She whispered, the feel of his hand against her cheek burning, burning, burning. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, you aren’t wrong.” He chuckled, suddenly grabbing her jaw as he pulled her face even closer to his. She gasped, but as she tried to pull away, he gripped her harder, fingers digging in so deep she was sure it would bruise. “But you aren’t right, either. I saw you walk home with that man, that Doctor.”

“Lance!” She tugged away, tears pooling in her eyes. “You’re hurting me!”

“Damn right!” He hissed, slamming her up against a wall. “You must think you’re all that, walking home with such a man. But trust me, I’m sure he just wants you for your body. Though, I’m sure you’ve already given that to him.”

The anger inside of Donna began to swirl, mixing with the burning hot sensation of his fingertips. His nails dug into her skin, stinging terribly as they broke into her skin. 

“He walked me home because he didn’t think it was safe enough for me to be alone.” She explained, eyes like wildfire as she finally met his gaze. “He walked me home because he is a gentleman. Much unlike you.”

Lance froze, as if shocked that she had spoken back, and Donna used the anger in her gut to raise her knee. She slammed it into his groin and the man fell back in pain, falling to the floor on his knees. Donna hissed as he pulled away, the feeling of his nails exiting her skin causing her face to light up with pain. She stumbled to the door, legs shaking, almost causing her to trip. She had started down the stairs before she felt Lance reach out, grabbing her ponytail as he jerked her backwards on the stairs. She fell back, but grabbed the banister to keep herself from slamming into the wooden stairs at the force Lance had intended. 

Donna spun around, whamming him in the face with her closed fist. She hit as hard as she could, and while she saw him flinch, the hit didn’t do quite as much damage as she had hoped. Instead, it only seemed to fuel the fire, his fist suddenly colliding with the side of her face. She fell against the wall, her head suddenly spinning. Without thinking, she reached into her bag and grabbed her pepper spray, the burning liquid meeting his eyes as she sprayed it directly into his face. He screamed, grabbing at his eyes with his hands. The motion caused him to trip backwards, his body falling over the modern stairway railing. It was much shorter than most other railings and made entirely of glass. It shattered as he fell, his body landing on the first floor with a loud thud. Breathing ragged, she remained in place, waiting to see if he was going to stand. After a moment, she walked down the stairs, leaning on the wall for support as her body shook rapidly. Stepping just close enough to make sure he was breathing, she let out a sigh of relief as she noticed the rise and fall of his chest. He was still writhing from the pepper spray, his eyes scrunched up as if she had squired lemon juice directly into them, but he seemed to be knocked out. Without hesitation, she shoved the pepper spray back into her purse and quickly grabbed her phone and keys from the trinket dish before dashing out of the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the summary of the chapter for all of you who needed to sit this one out for various reasons!:  
> -A very intoxicated Doctor walks Donna back home from the party. She is running late on the curfew that Lance gave her. Very sad fluff ensues.   
> -Donna enters her home and smells the cigar that Lance is smoking in their upstairs bedroom. She enters, and they get into a fight. Feeling empowered by her talks with her gramps/the Doctor (and the alcohol she had consumed), Donna stands up for herself. Lance doesn't like this and chases her down the stairs. He punches her, Donna falls against the wall, reaches into her purse and grabs her pepper spray for self defense. She sprays it in Lance's face and he falls backwards over the railing of the staircase. The impact of the fall knocks him out, and Donna takes this as an opportunity to flee the house.
> 
> And that's it for this chapter! The next chapter will resume with the Doctor's POV, but there will now be occasional POV shifts in the story as we move forward. Thank you again for reading!!


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